Titans A Force: Musical: Some things Never Change
by Dakari-King Mykan
Summary: S1EP2: Months have passed, and BB and Terra are ready for their marriage. On the night before the wedding, BB tells Copycat the story of how he and Terra truly got back together after Things Change.
1. Prolouge: Curiosity of the cat

**_Author's Notes:_**

******_This is/was only the 2nd TT fic I ever made, and I didn't know a lot of things about Teen Titans back then so updated it a little._**

**_(For those of you who don't know Copy-Cat… its because I made him up myself… the details are all in my first Teen Titan fic.)_**

**PROLOUGE**

"TITANS… GO!" Robin shouted. Slade had been causing trouble in town again, and it was up to the titans to get him. They had chased him all the way into a construction-zone and split up to search for him. "I know you're here Slade." said Robin. "Why don't you come out and fight fair?"

"Should I really make it that easy for you Robin?" Slade hissed. "But you are right… I shall come out… HERE!" he leapt out from above straight for Robin, but then…

WHAMM! He got zapped by Starfire's star-beam. "Husband, are you all right?" she asked. Robin shot his wife a smile. Then he turned back to face Slade. "Tut, tut, tut, Robin- always letting you little wife fight your battles for you." he mocked. Robin held out his metal staff. "She's not fighting for me, she's fighting with me."

The rest of the titans hopped out from their hiding places. "And that goes for the rest of us too." growled Cyborg.

Beast Boy and Terra stood hand-in-hand. "Dude, give us back those wedding plans." snapped Beast Boy. Terra nodded in agreement. "I'm not going to let you ruin things for us, again!" she said fiercely as she raised her other fist.

Those wedding plans belong to Beast-Boy and Terra. It had been a long time since the events of what happened at Terra's school. Now a whole year later, both of them eighteen, and after a long term relationship growing more romantic over time, they decided they were ready to tie the knot.

…But first… they had to recover their wedding-plans.

"You want them back so badly… here they are." Slade hissed as his waved the folder of papers and designs. The Titans charged forward, but had to be careful not to damage the plans.

Robin and Starfire missed their shots, and Slade grabbed, and flipped Cyborg up over his head and out of the way. "Childish fools." he hissed, but suddenly, Beast Boy changed into a rhino and whammed him hard in the chest while he wasn't watching. Slade got knocked back into a wall and the files all went flying, but Raven used her power to grab them all safely. Not a single one was damaged. "Good catch." said Terra. Raven smiled a bit. "Thanks." She gave Terra back the wedding plans, and then they both rushed into the battle.

Slade had shoved Beast Boy off his feet. Then hee looked up just in time to see Copy-Cat swing his battle-claws right for him. Slade quickly ducked and Copy Cat's claws got stuck in the rocks. He pulled and grunted trying to pull himself free. "GRR…! Curse these claws!" he growled. "My-my, the poor cat got his own tongue." mocked Slade. He with drew his own staff and began walking toward Copy Cat, who just couldn't seem pull himself free as his claws were stuck in deep!

But before Slade could attack, Terra used her powers to crumple the rocks around Copy-Cat's claws, freeing him quick as Raven began to power up. _"Azarath… Metrione… ZINTHOS!"_ She used her power to send more boulders crashing down onto Slade, but Slade just leapt up and hid himself in the huge dust cloud Raven had made with the avalanche. "I can hide from you titans anywhere at anytime."

"You will not!" shouted Copy-Cat as he leapt into the dust. "Myforesight shall lead me to wherever you are." For awhile the dust didn't seem to settle… so Beast Boy changed into a vulture and flapped his wings to blow the dust away. Copy-Cat was there, but Slade was gone. "Yo' man! He got away again." growled Cyborg. He punched the ground angrily "I hate it when he gets away like this."

"Take it easy, Cyborg." said Robin. "At least we got the designs back. So we can get back to work with the planning." All the others agreed and decided to head home.

Beast-Boy and Terra's wedding was only a few weeks away from that night, and apart from what they had done so far, they still had plenty more to do before the big day.

More invitations needed to be sent out, especially to The Doom Patrol, The Titans East, _even some people only Terra and Beast-Boy knew who were only ordinary civilians._

Terra's gown was coming along really nicely, but she only shared what she had with Starfire, and Raven. _"No boys allowed."_

Still, things were going smoothly.

…

Then a few weeks later, after all the preparations were completed, and everything was accounted for. The big day was scheduled for tomorrow morning.

This was Beast Boy and Terra's last night of being single, and The Titans planned to celebrate. The girls planned to go out, to take Terra out for a shower, The guys had a big bachelor party ready for Beast-Boy.

Terra, Starfire, and even Raven went around quite a bit. They even went to that dance club in town Blackfire took the team to before, and Terra was asked to dance on stage and even join in the band playing. She did learn how to playa pretty mean bass-guitar, when she was a school girl, but that was all behind her now.

Starfire giggled, as she did the twist with some other dancers. "Hmm, mm, mm… I believe I am having a night of my greatest time." she said. "And Raven… you are enjoying this too."

"Sure… whatever." Raven simply said. Actually, she just sat in the dark corners chatting to a Goth-man who thought she was cute, but Raven was already Copy-Cat's girlfriend, and she wasn't open for the taking guys off the street.

It had been a whole year since Copy-Cat had first arrived, and Raven was glad to finally have someone who was like her in several ways. Though deep down it was believed she had a soft spot for Beast-Boy, but that didn't matter anymore. Beast-Boy was happier with Terra, and that was okay with her.

…

Across town…

The Guys sure were rocking it up too at a Jazz-bar on the other side of town so Terra and Beast Boy wouldn't see each other, and be far away to ensure that. _No seeing each other before the wedding._

Copy-Cat even found the way Earthmen partied to be somewhat amusing. He was still fairly new on Earth and still only just experiencing and witnessing new things he had only heard of.

Sadly… the Jazz band had a few problems. Their Main singer got delayed, and couldn't make it, and their piano player was sick… but Beast Boy decided not to let this happen.

He offered to play and sing himself.

At first the band was hesitant. "Does this cat here even now how to jazz it up good?" asked one of the band-men. "Dude, trust me." said Beast Boy. He sat himself down at the piano. "Ah, yeah, man… play it good." said Cyborg. Then the whole band began playing all kinds of jazzy tunes, and Beast Boy even sang with a different voice to his own.

"Gee, Beast Boy really has a knack for all this." Robin said as he passed by Cyborg in his dance walk. "Boo-yah! You said it." said Cyborg. "Terra sure is lucky getting a guy like him… and to think they almost didn't make it."

Copy-Cat had heard those words and wonder what they meant by that. _"How could Beast Boy and Terra have almost not been able to rejoice their love?"_ he wondered.

…

Later that night, most of the others were already asleep, but Beast Boy was still wide awake, too excited about his wedding tomorrow. He lay on the lower bunk of his bed and gazed deeply at a framed picture of him and Terra. He sighed heavenly. She was his one and only love. The only person who seemed to like the things he liked, and even laugh at his jokes.

Still, he felt very strange deep down. Was this really happening to him? Was he really getting married? He and Terra had really come a long way since all the events that drove them apart so many times.

He didn't feel very sleepy and was in the mood for some soft music. So he walked over to his electrical-keyboard, and played some gentle tunes. He didn't always have the skill to play the piano, or keyboard… _it was something he picked up a long time ago._

…

Copy-Cat, now had Robin's old bedroom. Robin moved into too Starfire's room, since they were married, and it saved time instead of just building a new room, but he too was unable to sleep. He had been wondering about what Cyborg and Robin had said about Beast Boy and Terra all night.

True his foresight was able to read mind and determine what people were people were thinking, but he was a peaceful creature who only used that power is such was necessary, and he did not rudely intrude into people's privacy.

He got up to go get a glass of water, but on his way back to his room he heard the music coming from Beast-Boy's room. Copy-Cat realized, since Beast-Boy was still up, maybe he could ask him himself about what Cyborg and Robin meant about Beast-Boy and Terra.

He knocked at the door, and Beast-Boy answered it, "Copy-Cat? Did I wake you up?" Copy-Cat shook his head. "You did not, I was wide awake in any case. Perhaps some company shall do us both some good?"

Beast-Boy couldn't argue with that, and it would be nice to have someone to talk to. So he let Copy-Cat in. That's where Copy-Cat brought up the subject involving what Cyborg and Robin had said. "I wish to know… what was it that happened between you and Terra?"

Beast Boy's expression changed- from all excited to looking pretty grim. "I… I don't think you want to know that." he said, but Copy-Cat insisted on knowing. "Beast Boy, I am your friend." he said. "But remember, as much as I detest barging in on privacy, I am able to read minds, or shall just ask of the others. So you may as well explain to me what troubles you, because I will just find out for myself."

Beast Boy still wasn't sure. "Well… gee, I don't know. I mean it's a really long story..."

"Beast Boy…" replied Copy-Cat. "I am a Psyconian… I love long stories."

Beast Boy sighed. "All right. You win. So get comfy."

They got comfortable in their seats, and Beast Boy began to tell him the story… not just about him and Terra, but his entire origin as well, and how he came to be.

_**Author's notes:**_

_**-What's happening is… Beast-Boy is TELLING Copy-Cat the story, so the scenes will just switch back and forth… from the main story to back in BB's room, and vice-versa.**_

_**-Remember… BB is omniscient. He remembers what happened to HIM during this story, and when it was all over he was TOLD by the others what happened to them.**_

_**-WARNING: BB's character is portrayed a little bit of a Gary Stu, but it can't be helped. I gave him the MARY SUE test, and he IS a GS already.**_

_**I'm sorry, but that's that or the story will be too ridiculous.**_


	2. The story begins

**CHAPTER ONE**

_Garfield Mark Logan…_

As a child, no more than five years of age, Garfield contracted a rare, and fatal illness called _Sakutia_, and the only his parents could cure him was a serum extracted from a green monkey. The serum, untested, did succeed in curing Garfield, but had the unintended effect of turning his skin and hair green, his ears pointy, and gave him the ability to morph into any animal of his choice.

He was mutant, a freak!

Shortly after his mutation, his parents died in a boating accident caused by a flood. A terrible fate to which Garfield, to this day, still believes he could've prevented.

After he was saved from two kidnappers that tried to use his powers to help them in their crimes, he was left under the care of his despised guardian, Nicholas Galtry, who had embezzled funds from his inheritance, and plotted to kill the boy and have all the wealth for himself. However, a bit luck began to shine on the young boy, as Galtry's plans were foiled by the Doom Patrol who resuced young Garfield, and recruted him as their newest member. This was where he donned his uniform, and his alias name_… Beast Boy._

The Doom Patrol was like a second family to him. However, when it came to saving the Doom Patrol by letting the Brotherhood of evil escape, the team leader, Steve Dayton, also called _Mento, _a harsh, overly-disciplining, and very bad man, had decided to expel Beast Boy from the patrol. Beast Boy was most utterly crushed. He saves the team's slimy lives and they expelled him? Some family! Beast Boy ran away, and was left an orphan, with no home, no family, and no friends. Once again, he all alone, unloved, unwanted… and as he was before… unhappy.

Beast Boy tried his best to look for employment, and a new home, but nobody would even give him the chance. Everyone he ever met badly judged him with his green skin and his power to morph into animals. He was shunned, banished, and not even allowed in many places.

He could only spend most of his time scraping for food from stands, or whatever he could find in garbage, and he slept those cold and freezing nights in the alleys. At least he could still turn into animals so he'd have some forum of shelter, and protection.

But then things came for the better when he became part of the Teen Titans. He was given a new home, with friends, food, shelter, and even a chance to use his powers to round up criminals again, and hopefully be a well recognized person.

…_but yet… he always feared that just like everything else that he lost, this, also, would eventually desert him._

In his life with the titans, Beast Boy's assumed a role of a comic-relief. Telling bad jokes that nobody thought was funny, and getting him into mischief at times, or just looking for attention. However, it was only a façade. The reason Beast did all that was because he was trying to hide the deep inner pain from his life; all the hardships he had suffered; losing his parents, to be raised by a horrible man who tired to kill him. Even being exiled from the Doom Patrol…

Beast Boy was really a tragic hero whose entire life was shaped by tragedy, heartbreak, and hardships. He did his very best to forget about it an move on, but the way things were happening and continued to happen… that seemed pretty much impossible. Especially when the greatest, most desperate of all his upsets and tragic failures was about to enter his life…!

After some time of being on the team, The Titan's met Terra, a teenage girl with the power to move solid rock, and other solid objects. Beast Boy really seemed to take a liking to her at the start. At first, she was just a lone runaway with very unstable powers that were accident prone. The Titans took her in, and offered her to join the team…

However, after believing Beast-Boy had betrayed her trust and confidence by revealing her inability to control her powers, which was not true, Terra ran off. That was the first time.

Beast-Boy never stopped thinking about Terra, but soon, she had returned and seemed to have more control over her powers. She was finally enlisted and became a Teen Titan, and even finally went on a date with Beast-Boy… where they almost shared their first kiss…

However, it turned out that Terra was really Slade's apprentice sent to spy on the titans. Beast-boy was crushed, and this time it was he who told her to leave, but he always retained his feelings for Terra. Something he couldn't control…

…_he was in love!_

Terra returned to cause havoc on the city, ordered by Slade. She even turned against the titans, but after some long convincing from Beast-Boy, Slade's control was over powered, and Terra regained her freewill, only, the entire city was on the verge of being destroyed by a lava-flow. Terra decided to sacrifice herself and stop the destruction, but only after…

"_Beast-Boy… you're the best friend I ever had."_

There was no turning back for Beast Boy now. Terra was gone, but he and the others promised to try and revive her. No matter what, Beast-Boy's heart was taken.

After the titans had beaten the Brotherhood of evil, and returned home after months. Beats-Boy discovered a high-school girl that greatly resembled Terra, and even sounded like her. Terra's statue was also missing, which had convinced Beats-Boy that the girl he loved was back… however… the girl denied being Terra, or remember anything about her past.

Despite the fact that the others didn't believe Beast-Boy, as they never actually saw the girl, it finally was revealed to Beast-Boy that the girl really was Terra, and that she had no amnesia, but was merely trying to inform him that…

"_Things change, Beast-Boy. The girl you want me to be is just a memory."_

She didn't want to remember Beast-Boy, or the Titans, or anything at all from that life, and wanted to live a normal life. She refused to come back with him. Beast-Boy… he never felt so absolutely_ crushed_ in all his life.

…

Copy-Cat never heard anything so horrible before. "Beast-Boy… I did not know." he said with a look of pity on his face.

Beast-Boy was silent for a moment, and then took a soft yet deep breath. "That's where we begin." He explained. "This all happened about two years ago, after we had returned from our mission in Tokyo."

…

Two years ago…

The Titans were still after that White Monster; the one that had the ability to absorb the elements of anything it touched. They had just chased it into the sewers when Beast-Boy finally came along. "About time…" snapped Cyborg.

Beast-Boy ignored him and changed into a blood-hound. Sniffing around the waters he suddenly caught the scent of the monster. "There it is!" cried Robin. "Let's get him!"

The fight was long one, but the creature was unable to hide itself now that Beast-Boy could sniff him out no matter what he did. The creature began to grow more and more weary form dashing all over the place and finally… it was caught!

The creature was loaded onto a truck and taking to prison, while witnesses, and even news reporters.

"Bless you, Teen Titans."

"What would we do without you?"

"My heroes…!"

"Can I have your autograph?"

The Titans received handshakes, and gave out autographs and even pictures with fans. Except for one of them…! No one came anywhere near Beast Boy, or even took any notice of him, or the fact that it was his good sense of smelling that helped catch the creature.

He waved his arms a bit hoping people would see him, but not even the other titans took any notice of him. Realizing he wasn't needed here, Beast-Boy decided to head off on his own.

Beast Boy walked through the town, his head hung low, and his should slumped forward. He walked into the park, and climbed up a tree. Sadly, things didn't feel better for him. All he could think about was what happened between him and Terra back at the school. He kept playing that horrible scene in his head over and over, and nothing he could say or do would get rid of it. "Mmm…!" Then… things got worse…!

Four kids were pulling a wagon full of toys and costumes, including Teen Titan costumes. "Hey… let's dress up like the Teen Titans and play." said a boy. "I'll be Robin… he's brave." Two girls the girls picked other costumes. "I'll be Starfire… she's really pretty."

"And I'll be Raven… she's amazing."

The last kid grabbed one last outfit. "I'll be Cyborg… he is so cool."

They all ran off playing together, and Beast Boy's smiled completely faded as he gazed at the last costume; The Beast Boy costume, it just lay there. The kids didn't even so much as gaze at it or even compliment it.

Beast Boy began to feel as if no one appreciated him anymore, and after all he had done, especially defeating The Brother Hood of Evil.

…

A whole week passed, and he was still as upset as ever. He was spending a lot more time in his room, alone, and hadn't opened his curtains, or played his video games, or even wanted to accompany his friends on fun outings or activities…

_The main reason for that was because he wasn't invited. All the others always just took off thinking someone had told him, when they forget to invite him entirely._

Even if they hadn't Beast-Boy was far too upset to have fun. Tell a joke, or even smile halfway anymore. It wasn't just the fact that Terra had broken his heart, for the fourth time, and the biggest…

Ever since The Titans had gotten back from Tokyo, his life just seemed to becoming more and more unbearable. The people in the city didn't think highly much of him anymore, and he hadn't received or so much as heard one nice compliment about from anyone in a long time. Sometimes he even went out to charm ladies with his new, and repaired Tidwell-3000 moped, as soon as the girls realized he was Beast-Boy, they ran off… some even called him a loser.

Then there was the Titans themselves. Ever since Robin and Starfire had finally confessed their feelings for each other things had really changed. Starfire and Robin had been spending so much time on their dates or training. That and they were hardly ever around anymore.

Raven was getting grumpier, and more of a sourpuss than ever, and Cyborg; Beast-Boy was losing connection with him as well. He thought Beast-Boy was crazy that he seen Terra.

Well, The Titans were in tonight, and Beast Boy was sick of being kept in his dark room all by himself with nothing much to do. He found Robin in the evidence room trying to track down Slade. After all this time, they still couldn't get him. "Hey, Robin… need some help?"

"No thanks Beast Boy." he said. "I really need to do this alone. Go find something else to do." Beast Boy frowned and walked away.

Starfire was in the bathroom giving Silkie his bath. "Mmm, hmm, mm, mm... you like the suds and bubbles, do you not, my little bongorf." she giggled. Silkie splashed happily. Then there was a knock at the door. "Hey, Star, it's me." called Beast Boy. "Do you need some help with Silkie in there?" Starfire called to the door. "I believe it would be best if I accomplish the bathing of Silkie alone, Beast Boy. Perhaps you may find some other ways of to entertain yourself somewhere else." Again, he frowned and walked away.

Raven was meditating in the lounge. Trigon was destroyed, and she was free from his grasp forever, but she still stuck to her old ways; Staying in her room, meditating, reading… or just being herself. Suddenly, she was interrupted by the sound of the TV being turned on. She shrieked and fell on her chin. She got back up, and then hovered over towards the sofa, with a look of fury on her face and her body glowing angrily. Beast Boy looked up. "Hey, Raven." he said. "How's it going?" but he could see the anger in her eyes. "Out… Now!" she said very sharply.

"No, way..." Beast Boy said. "Why don't you just go and mediate in your room where it's quieter?" Raven growled fiercely causing Beast Boy to run out of the lounge as a frightened mouse. Raven slammed the door hard. Beast Boy changed back to himself, and walked away for a third time.

Cyborg was in the garage giving the T-Car a tune up when Beast boy walked in. "I don't suppose you want any help either do you?" he asked "Sorry, man… I built the T-Car… and I'm the only one who gets to fix her up." answered Cyborg. "Besides… it's not like you know where everything goes anyway."

Beast Boy grunted. "Dude, nobody wants me around here." he moaned. "You're all treating me as if I'm not that important."

"Yo', man… of course we think you're important around here." said Cyborg. Beast Boy began to lighten up a bit. "Really…? You do?"

"Sure." replied Cyborg. "Now get out of here so I can get back to work." he said sternly. Beast Boy slumped again. "Fine...! I'll go!" he said. On his way to the door, he was so incredibly upset that he furiously kicked one of the legs of a shelf…! The shelves began to fall over like dominoes, and Cyborg came out from under the car just in time as a whole pile of tools, metal, and even some oil spilled all over him and really made a mess of the car.

Beast Boy was kicked out of the garage, literally. "From now on… you stay away from my car!" said a very angry Cyborg, and he slammed the door.

Beast Boy angrily pounded the floor with his fist. "What's wrong with you? Your bolts too tight!" he growled.

"_I heard that!"_

Beast Boy angrily walked back upstairs, but he was so lost in his anger and his misery, and the suddenly he gaze feel into one specific bedroom, Terra's!The Titans never had the heart to take it out, in case Terra would ever want to come back, but only Beast Boy knew how that wasn't going to sat down on the sofa with the heart-shaped mirror box he made Terra, and a lot of flashbacks came back to him.

_When he and Terra first met…_

_When she ran out on the Titans…and then came back._

_They way he gave her the box and they went on that date._

"_If you were really my friend…I could tell you anything… would you still like me?"_

"_Yes… I promised Terra … no matter what."_

_Finding out she was Slade's spy all along…_

_Having to battle her and lose her as she turns to stone._

"_Things Change, Beast Boy. The girl you want me to be is just a memory."_

…

Beast Boy felt really numb inside. Never before had felt so lonely, unloved and he even felt despised. So he left the tower without saying anything to the others and headed off into town to try and take his mind off of things.

He was much too upset to turn into a bird and fly. So he hopped on his moped and drove off. As he drove down the streets, he sang a very sad song to himself in his head.


	3. Cassablanca, or so

**CHAPTER TWO**

In Beast-Boy's room, Copy-Cat felt even sorrier for Beast Boy. "You were upset, and yet you had no comfort. So you could only spend time by yourself." he said. "I could never have imagined anyone being treated so incredibly mean before."

Beast Boy nodded. "But that was only the beginning… it was about to get even worse. In fact… if I had known what was going to happen to me that night, I probably would've just stayed home."

…

Beast Boy had gone to Ben's café where he and Terra used to go, and eat apple pie. Now the café was one thing that hadn't changed in the city, thank goodness. It did however change a little on the inside. It was renovated and was now bigger and had even recently added some new additions. More seats. Vegetarian dishes. Even a new karaoke night, which was tonight, and among some of the band-men was a man named Sam, who was a great pianist.

Beast Boy was, considered okay friends with Sam. He really liked his music and it inspired him to wanting to start playing the piano some day, but tonight, however, Beast Boy had come into the café to drink his depression away on milkshakes and sodas, like most heartbroken men did. He didn't dare to order any apple pie for all the memories that would hurt his head with painful memories, and sting his, already, sore heart.

He also mad ea request. He told the manager of the café that as long as he was there… Sam was _not_ to play anything _romantic_ in the slightest, and both the manager, and Sam being two men, who understood why Beast Boy would want this, were obliged to agree to his request.

Beast Boy, sipping his sixth milkshake, was sitting in the dark on the far side of the bar, all by himself. He kept gazing grimly at the empty stool next to him, the one where Terra used to sit the first and only time they had apple pie there together. He sighed very sadly, and asked Pam for another milkshake. "With all the shakes you drink kid—you're putting my grand-kids through college." she said.

Beast Boy sighed heavily at the mention of that word. "Please, Pam… whatever you do… don't mention college, school, or anything in that subject to Me." he said sadly, and softly. "Just keep those milkshakes coming."

Pam nodded, and apologized, but it didn't make Beast-Boy feel any better. Just the mention of anything in relation to school brought on enough memories of Terra, to keep him bummed out for at least a week.

He really began to wonder, what was the point was of continuing on? Or more importantly, why was he even born, or saved from his illness? If he had known he would've ended up _this _miserable, and no way to escape from it as it kept happening to him over and over again, he would've just asked for them to let him die.

Here he was, in his late teen years, and he wished he wasn't himself anymore. Not hero who gets dumped on. Not a green guy who gets poorly judged by other people, but go back to being just a normal kid. Maybe even start a new life, with no problems, no worries. "Hah! Yeah right, no chance that's going to happen." he muttered. He sighed and sipped his twelfth milkshake, and he was starting to get a bit of the hiccups. "There's no I can make things better."

"But, there is." said a deep voice beside him. Beast Boy turned around, and saw another guy sitting right next to him. Dressed in rags, pale skin, and he looked like he was drinking a bit, but he still was pretty much sober. "There is a way you can do everything you just said." the man replied.

Beast Boy wasn't sure if this guy even knew what he was talking about. Until the man said. "You must go to the old castle laboratory on the mountains outside of town where you will meet a Dr. Nobel Von-Richter."

"He can help you."

Beast Boy knew exactly who this Dr. Von-Richter was. He was a very ingenious man always trying to make exciting new discoveries, and invent new wild things to revolutionize the world.

He was also… the very person who saved his life! The very man who created the serum that cured him from his Sakutia disease. We're it not for this scientist; Beast Boy would never have existed.

"You can do it, Kid!" the man suddenly cried out. "Just head to the mountains… see Von-Richter… CHANGE YOUR LIFE!" But Pam thought this guy had had way too much to drink, so she ordered some of the waiters to escort him out, by hard means. "It's not too late my friend!" the man called as he was dragged out. "You _can_ find happiness… YOU CAN-!"

Then he was tossed out the door, while at the same time, in walked three school girls, and two strong boys. It was Terra, and her two friends from school, and Jackie, the red headed girl with freckles, and Jillian, the black girl with dark hair. The two strong boys were also high-school students, who were taking the girls out for a bite to eat, and even impress them. They sat themselves down at a table, and the boys went off to get some drinks.

"You okay, Terra." asked Jackie, but Terra didn't respond. "Yo'! Earth to Terra." Terra finally snapped too. "Oh, sorry guys." she said.

"Dang! What's the matter with you?" asked Jackie. Terra just brushed it off that it was nothing, when in actuality; she couldn't shake off a numb feeling. Being at the café reminded her of the fun and time she spent with Beast-Boy. Still, she knew she had to put it out of her mind. She was happy with her new life… wasn't she? And she also believed that Beast-Boy was happy, wherever he was, or that he would be at least.

As a waiter passed Terra asked, "Excuse me…? Could you ask the piano play over there to come over here please?"

"Yes, of course."

Sam was also allowed to move towards customers, especially if Sam knew the customers personally. "Hello, Sam." Terra greeted. "Hello, Terra. Hello, Ladies." Sam said. "I haven't seen you girls in here for a while now."

"Sure has been a long time." said Terra. "Oh, yes… a lot of water under the bridge." replied Sam. "So what'll it be tonight girls?" The girls agreed that Terra got the first choice in song picking, and she really didn't know why she chose what she chose. "Play it Sam…" she said. "Play _As Time Goes By."_ Sam suddenly hit a couple of flat notes at the sound of that request. "Oh…Uh… well, I'm sorry, but… I can't play that." The girls we're most confused. "Why, can't you remember it?" asked Jillian. "Oh, I remember it well… it's just well… We've had this request, and we-"

"Hey come on, just play it for us." said Jackie. "Come on, just once." Sam sighed heavily, knowing fully well what could happen, "Why do I have a feeling I'm going to regret this." He muttered, and he began to play the song, but there was one other thing. "Come on, Sam." said Terra. "Please, sing the words?" Sam nodded and restarted.

Terra really liked that song. She liked hearing it whenever she was feeling sad about something; Even if that someone was about, Beast-Boy… and if the song brought on flashbacks to all the good times.

Beast Boy who had his face buried in his arms on the table… ears began to twitch when he heard the sound of Sam playing a _romantic song._ His face curled into a huge scowl as he got up from his seat. Sam was in for it now and just as he was finishing the song, and Beast Boy angrily walked towards Sam. Terra gasped softly- Beast Boy leaned over the piano and looked Sam dead in the eyes, "Sam, I thought I told you never to play-" he stopped when he noticed _she_ was there. Terra gazed deeply into his eyes and he back at hers with a very stern stare. Sam saw this as his cue to leave.

Jackie and Jillian got up. "What the heck are you doing here?" asked Jackie. "Yeah! Get lost, Brat-Boy!" snorted Jillian.

Beast-Boy gazed at the pathetic girls and corrected them; again, "It's Beast-Boy! Get it right, your little twits!" he grouched. Then he gazed at Terra, but said nothing and walked back to his corner.

Terra had no idea Beast Boy was there at all and that look in his eyes when he saw her; that look of pure anger, and misery. Obviously he hadn't moved on at all and was now even more upset than ever by what happened last week when he came to her school. Though she knew it probably wasn't right to do, and despite the disagreement of her friends, she had to talk to him. She got up and walked over…

Jackie and Jillian were outraged. Even still, that kid had a grip on her. They decided to teach Beast-Boy a lesson for that, especially for grouching at them just now. That's when their boyfriends came back form a bathroom break… "What's going on here?" The Boys asked when they got back. Jackie and Jillian got an idea, and was really awful.

…

Beast Boy sat in his dark corner with all his empty milkshake cups. Terra came over to him and sat down next to him just like the old days. She could tell that by the large number of milkshakes he had consumed, and his slight hiccups, Beast-Boy was worse than she thought. "Beast-Boy…?" she asked.

He looked up and scowled. "Yeah, what do_ you_ want?" he said gruffly. "Come to rub more of it in my face that you've changed?"

Terra knew that was coming, but it was in vain that she tried to persuade him that things would be okay. "Tell me, Terra…" Beast-Boy asked. "How many times did we have together?"

Terra didn't know, "I never kept track."

"Well I did… every last one of them." replied Beast-Boy. "I especially remember that _last one…!"_

…A green guy dashing down a school hallway and out the front door with a comical look on his face because his insides had been crushed, and everything he hoped for vanished like a snowflake.

Beast-Boy angrily got up. "Remember this one thing, Terra." he said to her. "Things change, oh yes, but some things never change, and what I felt for you is one of those things." Then he left the building leaving Terra feeling somewhat ashamed of herself, but she still secretly hoped that deep down Beast-Boy would eventually give up on her and move on with his life. After all, it was what she wanted… wasn't it?

…

Beast-Boy stomped in a huff to his moped, and realized he had a parking ticket. "Ugh…!" he groaned as he slumped down onto the curb. He didn't have the money to pay it since he just spent all his cash on those milkshakes. Things were just getting worse and worse, easily he worst part of the night was when Terra had to show up.

Beast-Boy pounded the pavement with his fist, hurting his hand, but he felt so numb inside, either from too many milkshakes or his sadness, that he couldn't feel the pain much. "Of all the places in all the towns in all the world… she had to come here."

"What next…?" Then suddenly he was grabbed by his shirt-collar by one of the two boys. "H'ya doing pal?" and then, WHAAM! Beast Boy got punched across the face and he skidded across the pavement.

Terra saw it from inside and dashed out, "Hey…!" she shouted. "What are you guys-" then she caught Jackie and Jillian who were out there laughing.

Beast Boy shook his head. "Dudes! What's your problem?" he roared. The other boy put his foot hard on his chest. "Nothing personal, Kid." he said. "But we were asked to do this, so we're going to beat the snot out of you!"

BOOT! Beast-Boy skidded across the ground. "Guys… cut it out! Leave him alone!" cried Terra, but the boys didn't stop. That's when Terra ran off to go call the police.

"This for tellin' us what music our girlfriends can't hear!"

SOCK!

"And here's for callin' them twits!"

BAM!

Jackie and Jillian were enjoying watch Beast Boy get beat up, but suddenly…

_**SNAP!**_

Beast Boy's eyes began to glow. All four of them were confused and then watched as Beast-Boy slowly transformed into a werewolf creature, _The Beast Within! _A transformation that only appeared when Beast-Boy grew angry, and had little control over.

The Kids were in for it now!

_**Later on**_…

The police had arrived just in time to see the two boys being thrashed about by a green monster. "Get the tranquilizer!" They fired a swarm of darts into Beast Boy, and the tranquilizers knocked him out cold, and when Beast Boy woke up… he was in jail, with his clothes all shredded. "Ah, Dude…!" he groaned as he got up. "My head…!"

Then he could see clearly again, and he saw The Titans all standing on the other side of his cell. All of them looking very annoyed with him. "Uh, oh!" I think I'm in for it now." he muttered.

They bailed Beast Boy out, but were still giving him that look. "What?" he growled. "Beast Boy, we're very, very disappointed in you." Robin said.

"Yo, man… what were you thinking of losin' your temper, and beatin' those boys up?" added Cyborg.

None of them knew that eats-Boy boy didn't start the fight, and yet were not willing to listen to him. "Friend." said Starfire. "I used to believe you were… what is the Earth word- sane!"

Raven just folded her arms and turned away. "Don't even think about talking to Me." she scoffed. "Jerk…!"

Beast Boy had taken about all this guff enough. As they left the police station "Come on. Let's go home." said Robin, but Beast Boy began walking the other way. "Beast Boy?" snapped Robin. "You're going the wrong way." Beast Boy turned around and looked at all the titans fiercely. "No!" he said. "Going the wrong way is back with you guys!"

For one single moment the Titan actual held their mouths open. "But, Friend…" Starfire tried to say, but he just brushed her off.

"Don't call me that!" he growled. "What kind of friends are you anyways? You don't care about me! You don't appreciate me… and just now, you proved my point that you don't want me around. So you know what!" he grabbed his communicator and shoved it hard into Robin. "I QUIT…! GOODBYE…!" He turned and began running up the street. "Beast Boy? WAIT?" cried Robin. "…Don't go."

Starfire had tears in her eyes. Cyborg hung his head low… and Raven, she was confused. "O…kay that didn't go well." she muttered. The Teen Titans had just lost a recruit, a friend, and worst of all, they didn't know why.


	4. Please help

**CHAPTER THREE**

The next morning, Beast-Boy had not returned. The Titans were all gathered at the table for breakfast, but no one really seemed hungry. All of them kept gazing grimly at the empty seat where Beast-Boy usually sat. "You think he meant what he said?" asked Cyborg. "Well… he was pretty mad last night." said Raven.

Starfire shivered slightly. She had never before known that anyone could get so angry! Yet, they couldn't understand it. Why was Beast Boy so angry at them last night? "Why would he think we don't care about him?" Robin said. "Or that he's not wanted around here?"

"Ya' know…" replied Cyborg. "Yesterday, he did say to me something about not feeling important." he paused for a moment. "When I- uh… kicked him out of the hanger, and yelled at him." Raven brought her hands to her face in slight shock. "You yelled at him that night?" she asked, "I… uh… sort of… yelled at him too I kicked him out of the lounge while I was meditating."

"I told him I didn't want his help in the evidence room, and he should do something else." said Robin.

"And I had insisted that he leave during Silkie's cleansing in the room of the bath." added Starfire.

All that, and also… they realized that they did overact last night to what happened. Beast-Boy really didn't start that fight, and he knew he wasn't supposed to fight with civilians, but that beast within him, he had no control over it as it only happened when he got angry and took over him. Yet all they did was scold him and treat him like less than a little kid.

The Titans all slumped into their seats. It was no wonder Beast-Boy was angry and felt they didn't care. "Man, some friends we turned out to be." grumbled Cyborg.

Starfire thought it would be a good idea to find Beast-Boy and apologize to him, but Robin thought maybe it would be better if they gave it a little more time. "Maybe when he cools off a bit he'll come back."

…

Several days passed, and Beast-Boy had still not returned…

Beast Boy had spent the days, helping himself to whatever discarded foods he could find lying around, or in the garbage, and at nights he would just change into a turtle and crawl inside his shell. So at least he wouldn't starve to death, or freeze.

He still had no money, though, and didn't bother to go look for a job, or panhandle for fear of more shunning from the cruel people.

Nobody loved him. Nobody appreciated him for his good deeds in the past. He had no Family. He just lost all his friends whom didn't seem to care about him, anyway. He lost his home, and on top of that… he was still grieving and lamenting over losing the girl he loved, "Terra…" he muttered under his breath.

He even lost his moped. It had been impounded in the Jump-City car lot, but he didn't have the money to pay the parking fine he got on the night of the fight. Until he could, he'd never see it again.

For a green-guy, he sure was one blue-boy.

"_What am I going to do now?"_ thought to himself… He couldn't just stay out in the cold empty streets, or really venture out into a cold, cruel, world. Where would he go? What would he do? Who could he turn to? Then suddenly, he remembered what that bum at the café told him. _"You must see Von-Richter; on the mountain… he can help you."_

Beast Boy thought it over, and what else did he have left to lose, _other than his life._ So he changed into a bird and flew off towards the mountains. This was his last hope.

…

While back at The Tower…

The Titans had reached their limits of waiting, and decided it was time to find Beast-Boy and apologize just as Starfire suggested before. The trouble was where to look for him. Since he didn't have his communicator on him it wasn't going to be easy.

The Titans all patrolled different areas of the city, and were sure to check out all of Beats-Boy's usual hangouts, which was pretty easy since all the changes in the city were most of his favorite places.

…Beast-Boy didn't really have much of any place to hang out anymore.

"Cyborg even took the T-Car, and tried to onboard computer, which he hoped would track Beast-Boy's genetic code, but, "Nothin'." he groaned. "Wherever he is, somethin's blocking his signal. I can't track him down."

Raven also reported, by communicator, that she wasn't able to sense Beast-Boy anywhere. Something was making it hard to track him.

_Beast-Boy was bound to be anywhere in the entire city, if he even was in the city._

…

Beast Boy had already made it to mountains, just outside of Jump-City. It sure was a dark and miserable looking place, with stormy skies and thunder and lighting, as well as howling winds… but he could see though all those storm skies, up near the top was a mysterious, and ominous castle; The perfect place for a scientist like Von-Richter to live.

Beast-Boy decided to leap up the mountain trail, as a mountain-goat. All that lightning and strong winds made it too dangerous to fly. The mountain was pretty steep, and he was getting tired as he climbed higher.

"_Dude…!" _he thought to himself._ "The alps sure have nothing on these mountains for climbing."_

Finally, he reached the changed back to his regular self state and felt really beat. He looked on ahead, and there was the castle. It looked pretty old and decrepit. It looked even scarier with all the lightning flashing around.

"Well… I'm here." he said walked up nervously to the door, which made an awful creaking noise as he opened it, just like in a horror movie. It was pretty dark inside the foyer."Hello…?" Beast Boy called out. "Hello-o-o-o…?" his voiced echoed along the walls.

Suddenly, a huge swarm of bats came right at him. He shrieked in fear and fussed about trying to shoo the bats away, and they flew out the door. Beast Boy sighed heavily in relief, but then he could hear footsteps coming towards him followed by the voice of a Swiss man. "Who dares to intrude on my solitude?" he asked angrily.

"That voice…" cried Beast-boy.

The angry man moved in closer and shined a lantern on him. At once his anger faded. "Garfield…?" he asked. "Is it you, my boy?"

Beast Boy couldn't believe it. "Dr. Von-Richter…?" he asked. "It is you…!"

It had been such a long time since they had seen each other. Von-Richter was an old man, but still had a lot left in him to carry on. Von-Richter brought Beast Boy up to his main lab and living quarters. He fixed himself some tea. "I am very sorry to 'ave scared you like zat, my boy." He said. "But I have been feeling quite lonely up 'ere."

He told Beast Boy of how after he had saved him from his Sakutia disease, he had gone into complete seclusion and spent his years n peace and working on new inventions. Too buried in his research to have time to go out there and try at life, and by the time he grew ready, he was already old and seemingly unattractive. He traveled around the world, setting up lab somewhere else where he could be alone to work on his inventions. "Tell me, my boy… vat brings you 'ere? I thought you vere vith zee Teen Titans."

Beast Boy sighed heavily and told him about the man he had met last night at the cafe, and told him to seek him out for help. Beast Boy nervously twiddled his fingers "I want…" he said. "… I want to be a normal boy."

Von-Richter swallowed his tea a little too quickly and choked a bit. "You… you… vat?" he asked. Beat Boy nodded. He didn't want to be who he was anymore. A green boy with the power to change into animals He wanted to become a normal boy, and start a new life. "But vhy vould you vant such a thing, Garfield?" asked Von-Richter.

Beast Boy got up and walked over to the window looking down at the whole town below. "You don't know what it's like to be me..." he said and he sang a soft song about how miserable it really was and all he really wanted was a little help to try and make things better.

A tear rolled down Beast Boy's cheek as the song ended. Von-Richter felt so sorry for him, that he decided. "Please don't cry, my little von." he said. "If you really feel so lonely and unhappy- I can, and vill 'elp you."

…

_In Beast-Boy's room..._

Beast Boy was really struggling hard not to cry. That was one of the saddest moments of his entire story. Copy Cat felt like crying too. He knew how it felt to be lonely, and not have anyone around. "Beast Boy…" Copy-Cat said. "If you wish to stop I can adjourn to my bedroom, and leave you to gather your thoughts." but Beast Boy shook his head. "No… no… it's alright." he said. "I can keep going. I just knew you'd understand at least."

Copy-Cat nodded. "Indeed, I do…" He got up to look up into the nighttime sky through the window. "I continuously remember all of the non-pleasant events that have occurred in my lifetime." he replied.

His mother died when he was little and he barley knew her. Until when last he saw his father, he barely listened to or believe him when had things to say. He was born with all the Psyconian powers when he supposed to have only one, which made him different from everyone else. Some even feared him. He was barley allowed out of the palace, and when he was it was to guard over a tower, up, up, above.

Then he came to Earth, and still felt a little out of place. It wasn't always fun to be the only one of your species on an entire planet. Things improved after he met Raven, and feel in love with her, joined The Titans, and finally had a chance to start anew.

Still… where and how he came to be could not be denied anymore than Beast-boy's life. Being on Earth was nice, but he did miss his home planet very much, and thought of his father, The King… and all the other people he had left behind.

No matter how loved he felt… deep down… he would always feel somewhat out of place as he sang "It lonely being One of a Kind"

Copy-Cat turned to face Beast-Boy and smiled. "It is very important that other people know how you feel. It may very well be the only way to find help."

Beast Boy smiled.

"So… will you continue with your tale, or shall I adjourn back to bed in any case?" Copy-Cat joked.

Beast Boy chuckled. "Okay, okay."


	5. Bye Bye Beast Boy

_**Author's notes:**_

_**(It's too difficult, and long to explain and understand. So we'll just say it's the machine from the Gerry Anderson Supermarionation series, JOE 90)**_

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Von-Richter lead Beast Boy to a special chamber in his lab where a very large machine and a load of control consoles were. Von-Richter called this machine, the BIGRAT…which stood for _Body,_ _Intelligence,_ _Gene,_ _Rearranging,_ _Auto,_ _Transformer._

Von-Richter spent twenty years of his life working on it, and it was built with some of the parts from old machines he had, _including the ones that injected the special serum into Beast Boy._

What it was programmed to do, was alter the DNA, and physique of whoever sat in the center of the large spinning cage. Through genius technology, and advanced forums of art, that person would have their looks, and body altered completely. It was like an instant plastic-surgery.

Still, Von-Richter wasn't so sure if this was a good idea. The machine hadn't been properly tested, "It's very dangerous, and I don't know vat may 'appen to you if something should go wrong."

This didn't discourage Beast Boy in the slightest. This was his only chance to be normal, and try for a new life. Plus, he secretly admitted that if he died, it wouldn't matter. His only concern was to get rid his green-skin. All those animals, and put his misery behind him forever. "And the sooner, the better."

Admiring his boldness, Von-Richter agreed then. They would begin in a few nights, because there were a few things Von-Richter needed to take care of first, but he was more than willing to allow Beast-Boy to stay with him. It felt nice to have some company.

…

Over the next few days, Von-Richter was hard at work…

In addition to actually preparing the machine, which required charging and rewiring, he was working to provide Beast Boy with things he would need.

Von-Richter sat in the castle making phone-calls, and filling out papers, and arrangements with the city. Beats-Boy needed lots of things. A home, a decent education and some cleaner clothes to wear.

Von-Righter had an old apartment in town that he still paid rent for, but just never went to anymore. He allowed Beast-Boy to have it, and until Beast-Boy would be able to gain a steady source of income, he would act as his rent trustee and pay things off.

He arranged for Beast-Boy to be enrolled at Murakami High. Just the place for a boy like him to gain a smooth education, and maybe make friends.

Beast Boy never really went to school in his life, mainly because no one excepted him due to his green skin, so he was merely tutored, and as laid-back and slacked off.

Still, Von-Richter was happy to be helping Beast Boy. Deep down, he harbored a little fondness for the boy, and thought of him like a son.

…

A few nights later. the other Titans were sitting in the lounge really feeling beat, tired, and upset…

They had covered the entire city inch by inch during the week, and still hadn't found a trace of Beast Boy. They never should have yelled at him, and been more supportive when he was feeling bummed. If only they could just find him, and make it up to him.

Suddenly, the lights began flickering in the tower, and across the city. "Okay… and this is supposed to be normal?" asked Raven.

Cyborg checked the computers. "Strange… somethin's generatin' so much electrical energy that it's causin' shorts in the power lines." he said.

"Shorts?" asked Starfire. "Then why is it power lines are so long...?"

The others sweat dropped in a sigh. "No, Star… it means whatever's out there using that much power is shorting out the power lines in the city."

Cyborg managed to get affix on where the source of power was coming from. "There… on the mountains."

Robin clenched his fists, "Titans, Move…!"

… And off they went.

…

The Electrical energy was actually coming from Von-Richter's castle. He needed this energy if the BIGRAT was to work effectively. "Ah, yes! YES!" Von-Richter chuckled with glee. "My beautiful creation is coming to life."

The machine was all powered up and ready to go. Now all that was needed was the subject. "Are you ready, my boy?" Von-Richter asked. "Remember, you can change back venever you vant. You just 'ave to ask."

Beast Boy came out, wearing simple shorts, as light clothes were necessary. He took in a huge, brave breath. "Okay… I'm ready." he said as he climbed into the chair, and Von-Richter got him hooked up. Strapping his arms down into the chair-arms, and then placed a metal headband with wires around his head.

"All right now… zis may sting a little." Von-Richter said as he pricked a couple of needles into his arms, connecting him from the machine. All the animal DNA, which made Beast-Boy green was going to be pumped out of him and into a flask. Plus, Von-Richter give Beast Boy some anesthetic to num the pain he would experience during the change.

Finally… it was time.

…

The Titans had followed the source of the signal which lead them up to the mountain. "Look! All the electricity is coming from this castle!" said Robin. "Man… whoever's doing it must be up to something pretty big." said Cyborg.

"We've got to stop whatever's going on in there…" replied Robin.

…

Beast Boy was seated in his chair, and the chair was being lifted on an electronic-arm and placed in the center of the spherical cage.

…

"Hurry! Hurry!" cried Robin as they bounded up the stairs of the castle.

…

The cage close trapped Beast Boy, now asleep, inside, and Von-Richter pulled the switch. The lighting began to gather up and the machine started up. "YES… YES! IT'S VORKING!" he chuckled hysterically.

Suddenly…

BOOM! The door to the lab was blown down by Cyborg's Sonic-Cannon. Von-Richter turned, "Oh…? Vat are you all doing `ere." he asked angrily. Robin looked him fiercely in the eyes. "We should ask you the same-" he stopped when he heard the sounds of the machine powering-up up, and strange music was heard.

_**(The Joe 90 theme)**_

The spherical cage began to spin round, and around, faster, and faster…!

"_BEAST BOY!"_ cried the Titans. Beast Boy couldn't hear them as the anesthetic had sent him into a deep, numb sleep, while the machine began pumping green-fluids through his arm and into a flask. Then, like magic, Beast Boy's skin color was beginning to change, from green, to fleshly colored, and his hair was turning dark brown, his fangs were vanishing, his ears went round, and his face looked much different that it did before.

Cyborg grabbed Von-Richter by the collar. "Yo' man… stop this crazy thing, now!" he roared. "B-b-but… I can't!" cried Von-Richter. "Once it's activated, it can't be shut down until zee music finishes playing. Y-y-you could kill `im!" He looked over his shoulder, and saw Starfire handling some of the control panels, trying to shut the machine down. "Vait…! Vat do you think you're doing? Get away from zat!" Starfire ignored him hit numerous buttons and switches. "Friend, I will get you out of this menacing machine."

Suddenly, as the music continued to play and Beast Boy continued to transform. Starfire sent way to many signals- that the Machine began spinning faster, and began sparking, and the wires around Beast Boy's head began going crazy. He was going into a seizure.

"OH, NO…!" cried Von-Richter. "LOOK VHAT YOU'VE DONE… ZEE MACHINE IS OVERLOADING!"

"QUICK! SHUT IT OFF! SHUT IT DOWN!" shouted Robin.

Von-Richter fiddled with controls and also kept an eye on Beast Boy's medical-telemeter. His brainwaves were going crazy, and his blood was racing! Finally, the music was finished, and the machine gently whirled to a halt. It was smoking very badly, and Beast Boy, now completely transformed into a regular boy, slipped off the chair and out of his wires. He just lay on the floor. He didn't move or make a sound.

Von-Richter leapt down and scooped the young boy in his arms. "Qvickly…" he said. "'E may need medical care." No sooner had they got him and the flask with Beast Boy's green serum out of the way, did the machine have a big blow-out. It was a pile of junk heap now. "Oh… zee `umanity." cried Von-Richter.


	6. Forgotten

**CHAPTER FIVE**

The young boy sat in bed, in a hospital in town. His eyes slowly opened, and he groaned softly. He could see Von-Richter leaning down to face him. "Are you alright, my boy?" he asked. The young boy slowly sat upright and held his forehead. "Ohh…! My head really hurts" he groaned.

The Titans were watching from outside his hospital. room could see that he was up, and Von-Richter walked out and asked the nurse how he was doing. The Nurse checked the report, "Well, aside form a very bad headache, he seems to be fine."

Further examinations had to be made on him before he could be dismissed, but the titans were allowed to go in and see him, but… they were in for quite a shock. As they walked in the room, and Starfire expressed her thanks that he was okay… the boy just gazed at her, and the others and asked, "Who are you people?"

The Titans stood where they were just gawking at the boy with a look of shock. Starfire approached the boy, "Beast-Boy, do you not recognize me. It is I, Starfire."

The young boy raised an eyebrow. "Beast… Boy… ? Star… fire?" he asked. "Sorry, whoever you are, but I think you've mistaken me for someone else."

Robin stepped forward. "Beast Boy, Don't you remember us?" he asked. "We're the Teen Titans, and you're one of us."

The boy felt more confused than ever. The more The Titans tried to speak to him, tell him a joke, Starfire even tried the old armpit gag. "I'm sorry, but I really don't know who you people are, and if you don't mind I'd like to be called by my name; Garfield Logan."

The Nurse then told everyone to leave, except for Von-Richter, and so The Titans went to the waiting room. They waited for quite a few hours, and then Von-Richter came out to speak with them. "How's he doing?" asked Robin.

Beast-Boy… or rather Garfield was alright, "But… vell I guess you can tell, can't you?"

"Yeah… like, three hours ago." Raven said.

The doctors ran more examinations, and it was true. Garfield was suffering from amnesia. He had absolutely no memory of The Titans, or himself as Beast-Boy, or pretty much anything that happened in his hero life.

Von-Richter wasn't sure, but it was most likely that it happened when the BIGRAT overloaded, and seemed to have had affected his brain-patterns. There was also something more…

Von-Richter showed them all a chart of Garfield's brain, and the intelligence level was near the 200s "Whoa!" exclaimed Cyborg, "You mean, he's like some sort of Einstein or somethin'?"

Von-Richter wasn't sure, but for now he strongly suggest that The Titans not bother Garfield. Forcing him to remember would probably lead to permanent brain-damage. He also had to return to his lab and fix the BIGRAT. "It vill take me months to repair it. Zat is, even if it can be repaired."

This worried The Titans. Without the machine, Garfield could ever turn back into Beast-Boy. That is if he even wanted to, amnesia or not. For now, respecting Von-Richter's and Garfield's wishes. The Titans left, but they weren't willing to give up. There had to be someway for Garfield to remember.

The sun rose up and Von-Richter made Garfield and the Titans some breakfast. Garfield still was a vegetarian, though he couldn't remember why, and as he sniffed his hot food. "Ahh… the odor and high quality sensation of intellectual nourishment." he said.

…

When The Titans got home they couldn't possibly think of anything more disastrous than what they had just come to know before. They spent all that time looking for Beast-Boy, and when they find him, he wasn't Beast-Boy anymore, and didn't remember.

"Whatever shall we do now?" asked Starfire. "Our friend requires aid that only we can provide. He must remember that we are his friends and he belongs with us." Robin shook his head. "It's no good, Star." he said. "We'll keep trying, you heard what that man said. We have to let him go for a bit."

"Besides, we still have to look out for the city." said Raven. "We can get in without him. Can't we?"

They were soon going to test that theory when the alarms sounded. Robin checked the computers. "It's Mammoth, and Gizmo." he said. "Their snatching the pirate's treasure from the natural-history museum."

"Yo , man… that treasure's worth big bucks." snapped Cyborg.

"Exactly." replied Robin. "Which is why we have to stop them. Titans. move!" and so, they were off.

…

Since Garfield was already deemed fit and healthy, he was dismissed form the hospital that very night.

Von-Richter had given Garfield the keys to his new apartment, and sent him.

Garfield's apartment was in a building five stories high. He live on the fifth floor. The build was in a beautiful community, with a lushing green lawn, nice tall trees, and a small river with ducks living in it.

Garfield entered his new home and gazed around. "Hmm…" he said as he gazed around. The place was furnished, but everyone was all covered by sheets and clothes. Von-Richter really hadn't used this place. "Let's see… what have we got." Garfield said.

He began to pull the clothes and sheets away, and sang a little song as he furnished the apartment properly.

He had pretty much everything he would need; A living room, complete with a sofa, armchair, TV, and naturally all the usual refinements. Same with the kitchen, and bedroom too. He even had a small closet and a storage room.

Von-Richter sure made good on his word that he would help him. He even bought Garfield brand new outfits, and even got his new school uniform ready, and all the things he'd need for school on Monday. He couldn't wait to get started, but for now, he had to spend time getting ready.

He was accepted into Murakmi High right in the meddle of a semester, and since his IQ was near 200, he was allowed to begin in grade-12. This way he could be in an older, more advanced class that would suit his needs.

Still, he couldn't get over this funny feeling about those people he met back at the hospital. Those… Teen Titans. He thought it was silly that a boy like him could ever be one of them super-heroes.

Meanwhile…

Gizmo, and Mammoth were still busy gathering up the treasure. "It sure would be a lot easier if Jinx were still with us." Mammoth lamented.

"Ah, cram it." snapped Gizmo. "We don't need her anymore, let's get the loot and get out of here."

The two men carefully loading up some of the priceless jewels. "This stuff has got to be worth millions. Maybe even billions." replied Gizmo. "Yeah… what are we going to buy first?" asked Mammoth.

That's when the wall was smashed open, and the Titans stormed in. "How about a one-way ticket to prison." snarled Robin.

"The Teen Titans…?" snarled Mammoth. Gizmo gritted his teeth, but then he noticed, "Hey, where's your animal chump?" asked Gizmo. "Is he too…_ chicken_… to come? Heh, heh, heh!"

Cyborg looked as though he was going to blow a circuit. "Don't go there, man! You talk about him like that again and I'll-"

Gizmo stopped him speaking when he decided to introduce the titans to a new little gadget he and Mammoth had acquired. The two crooks tapped a small switch on their belts, and their bodies began to glow, and the next… nothing. They didn't look any different.

Robin had had enough of this guff, "Titans… Go!" and they all charged into battle.

Cyborg stared Gizmo down. "This gonna be fun…" he growled as he fired his sonic-cannon. Gizmo just stood there, and took the hit. It didn't even push him back, or damage him in the slightest. "What the…?" groaned Cyborg.

Gizmo snickered, "What's the matter, Big Guy… too much for ya?" and he thwacked Cyborg hard with his mechanical spider-legs.

Robin tried to aid Cyborg in the fight. He punched Gizmo as hard as his could, but Gizmo felt no pain at all, and then kicked Robin hard. "What's going on?" Robin demanded to know, but he suddenly had a feeling it had something to do with that device on Gizmo's belt.

Raven and Starfire stood face-to-face against Mammoth. down. "Two for the price of one… I'll have to find a sale like that." Mammoth mocked.

Starfire's eyes blazed with anger. "You will regret mocking us with your words!" she snarled and she launched her most powerful star-beam at the hulking crook. The blast hit Mammoth, and exploded on him, but when Starfire thought she had gotten him…

"YAAAH…!" Mammoth leapt out from the dust, without even a scratch, and pounded Starfire to the ground. Raven concentrated hard, _"Azarath… Meterione… ZINTHOS!"_ and tried to bound Mammon in a stream of dark energy. Mammoth did get caught, but he broke out of the waves as if they were made of paper. "What…?" snapped Raven.

The Titans tried as best they could, but it was just no good. Not a single one of their attacks, or powers did any damage at all to the villains. The two of them decided to explain that the belts they had were Slade's newest creation.

"Slade…!" snapped Robin. "I should've known."

The devices were tuned to the source and functions of the titans attack-forces. Now their attacks could do nothing to Gizmo and Mammoth, except make them laugh.

Police sirens were heard outside, and the crooks decided to split, at least they left the treasure behind, but The Titans didn't seem to be concerned too much with that.

When they got home… Cyborg pounded the table angrily. "I those two know-it-alls got the better of us." He snarled.

"Enough!" growled Raven. "So we let them get away, it's not the first time it's happened."

"Raven's got a point." said Robin. "We just weren't prepared to fight them, but now we know what they have on us, and we know that Slade is involved."

Starfire wondered if Gizmo and Mammoth would come back. "They now know we do not stand much of a chance against them." She said. "What shall we do?"

No one had a clue. They weren't able to even scratch the two crooks, but Robin swore they would find a way to overcome this. _"At least Beast-boy didn't have to go with this."_

…

Garfield, at that very moment was fast asleep in his bed, in his apartment, without a care in the world.

…

Back in Beast-Boy's room… he said to Copy-Cat, "It sure felt nice to have my own place, and not have much to worry about."

Copy-Cat agreed, and was fascinated when Beast-Boy explained that his magic singing voce came from the incident with the BIGRAT as well. Beast-Boy explained that over the course of the story, he learned that the machine didn't just give him amnesia, and increase his IQ, but it also was what altered his vocal-chords, throat, lungs, and stomach.

Now any time he would sing a song, his voice would magically alter and he could sound absolutely amazing! It was quite a gift, and he felt glad to have it, and always would be.

_**Author's notes:**_

_**When I heard BB sing on Trouble in Tokyo, I found it cute… but somewhat lame and decided "He needs a tune up"**_

_**That's why I give BB these special voices.**_


	7. First day

**CHAPTER SIX**

Next… Copy-Cat was curious to know how Beast-Boy's first day of school went, and Beast-Boy explained that while he was looking forward to it, "If I had only known what I was in for I probably would've stayed in bed."

…

The weekend passed quickly, and it was time for Garfield's very first day of school. He was up early, showered, finished breakfast, and dressed up in his new school uniform. White T-shirt, black necktie, blue pants, and black shoes. Then, he was off.

His apartment was only a few blocks away from his new school, Murakami High, so he could walk the whole way. Upon his arrival, he stopped just outside the gate to get a look at the building, and all the students there. He had never gone to school in his life before, but he believed he would fit right in.

…

Terra was waiting outside the school, waiting for Jackie and Jillian. They met up with her, and chatted a bit. The Girls wondered why Terra didn't accept their invitation last night. They had gone out to a dance-club with their boyfriend where a lot of cute boys were, but Terra wasn't that kind of girl who stayed out late on a school night, and she wasn't sure she was ready to get into boys.

"Are you still worrying about that kid, Brat Boy?" Jillian asked.

Terra rolled her eyes and sighed, "It's, _Beast-Boy_… and no I'm not."

The Girls didn't believe her, and thought maybe she was getting soft on Beats-Boy. Jackie suggested Terra get a boyfriend to help get her mind off it. Especially seeing as what the papers said this morning. The Girls saved a portion about the Teen Titans losing the fight against Gizmo and Mammoth without Beast-Boy, and that Beast-Boy was reported missing.

"So the kid ran away…" Jackie said. "Good riddance. He won't be showing himself around here anymore." It was obvious by now that Jackie and Jillian had something very big against Beast-Boy, they didn't like him. They always thought he was a geek, and that he didn't even deserve to be a Teen Titan, but Terra disagreed, and when she was asked by her friends to explain what made her think that… the bell rang.

Terra felt relived she didn't have to explain. The truth was she never could get Beast-Boy off her mind or her past with him and The Titans. Sometimes she even thought it she was starting to regret her decisions in choosing to peruse this normal life only to convince herself, over and over again, she was doing the right thing. This way she could never hurt Beast-Boy again, and forget about all her wrong-doings…

That's she wanted, but she wasn't doing a good enough job. As she walked down the hall to her first-period class she began to wonder if Jackie was right, and maybe it was time for her to try and maybe find a new guy to hook up with, or something, but that was easier said than done.

Though Terra was in grade-12, she was merely an average student, and a somewhat unpopular girl who only got average grades. This was her last year to try and bring them up enough for her to graduate, yet she could never get anything higher than a B.

Her only friends were Jackie and Jillian, but she had questionable opinions about them too. They were a pair of popular girls who berated nerdy kids, and liked to pick on smart kids. How and why they wanted to befriend Terra was a mystery. Terra began to feel no boy would ever like her.

She was so warped up in her thoughts that she wasn't paying too much attention to where she was walking, that when she turned to enter the classroom, she bumped into somebody.

…_Garfield._

Terra dropped her text-book on the floor. "I'm so sorry…" she apologized, that's when their eyes met, and she noticed how this guy resembled Beast-Boy. While he gazed at this girl for a moment, and then handed gave her back her book, "No… I'm sorry." he said. Then he walked into the classroom.

Terra was at a loss for words. _"It couldn't be…"_ she thought. That boy sounded like, and greatly resembled Beast-Boy, even if he wasn't green, or mutated. Even his eyes looked just like Beast-Boy's. She could only assume he was just here to try and persuade her to come back with him again, but she didn't have a chance to talk to him yet as it was class time.

All the students too their seats for math class, and teacher came in. "Okay, Gang, settle down… I have a couple of announcements to make." he said as he set his briefcase down. "First up: As you know the gymnasium is going to be renovated in the midst of spring, and if it isn't finished in time, I'm afraid the end of the year prom may have to be canceled, unless we find a new location."

The class felt really worried about this, but some of them already had several ideas of where to hold the prom, even if it was months, and months away. Right now it was only mid February which put the prom four months away at least.

"Okay then…" replied the teacher. "Secondly: we have new student with us today." replied the teacher, and he motioned for the young-man to come to the front. "Everyone… I'd like you all to meet _Mr. Garfield Logan."_

Garfield nodded his head in greet, "Pleased to meet you all. I'm glad to be here and I look forward to working with you all."

"A very nice opener, Mr. Logan." said the teacher. "Now, you may take the seat next to Terra, over there... and we shall get started."

Garfield took his seat next to the girl whom he helped. "Hey, great to see you again." He smirked at her, but Terra wasn't so sure about this.

The class was having a geometry-test today. Terra's absolute worst subject of all- Since Garfield was new, the teacher gave him the option of doing it open-booked, but Garfield didn't need to.

The test began, and everyone was quiet. Terra had a hard time concentrating, mainly due to the fact that she hadn't studied much, and she was wondering what to do about Garfield.

Garfield, suddenly, got up and went to hand his test in. The teacher was surprised. "Finished already?" he asked in confusion, and amazement. "Yes sir." Garfield said, "But I think you may have made an error when writing this test."

All the other students gazed up, and a few gasped softly. Garfield explained, in very smart words, how some of the figures drawn on the paper were, in fact, not similar, and that one calculation of a problem, the correct answer was not among the given multiple choices.

The teacher was impressed by Garfield intelligence, and shocked to realize how he made such a mistake when making the test. However, since Garfield was brand new, and seemed very smart, the teacher decided to give him some catch up assignments and extra credit projects to work on.

Garfield took the assignments back to his desk, and before he got started Terra silently slipped him a small note. "Hmm…?" he peeped softly as he read the note…

"_I know what you're up to, and it won't work."_

Garfield felt confused, and merely assumed she was hinting about his genius with those math problems, and finishing the test fast. Still, he disregarded it and carried on with his work.

Terra was startled, and couldn't believe he didn't even so much as look at her. Well she wasn't giving up, but she decided to deal with it later and finish the test.

As class went on, Jillian, and Jackie were also most disturbed about the new kid. They also felt exactly how Terra did and believe he was Beast-Boy come to bother Terra some more.

When class ended, and everyone handed in their tests, Garfield even turned in a couple of his assignments already completed. As the class filed out, Garfield could hear some of his classmates calling him…

"Nerd!"

"Geek!"

But he just ignored it as had to get to his next class, and would have plenty more work to do.

Terra met up with Jackie and Jillian, and they all discussed it. Jackie and Jillian thought of getting their boyfriends to beat him up again, but Terra disagreed. She wanted to do this on her own, since the last time was a huge disaster, which she had still not forgiven them for. "I'll do this myself." she said again.

…

Meanwhile…

Raven was sitting on the sofa with her nose buried in one of her books again, but suddenly, she stopped reading. "It's quiet around here." she said. "Almost, too quiet..."

Starfire nodded her head while she sating boringly at the table. "I would have to agree." she said. "It is so quiet, that one could here the very sounds of a young Gorknorf hatching from its cocoon, light-years away."

Cyborg was sitting by the TV playing video-games, and he too was bored. "It's not as much fun playing these games by myself." he said.

Things had really gotten a little depressing since Beast Boy left, but didn't know what they could do about it. They knew where he was, and what he was up to with his new life, but as long as he was suffering from amnesia, it wasn't looking good.

They hoped in due time that something would help him to remember everything he had forgotten, but they had other things to worry about as well.

Then the alarm sounded. Robin burst into the lounge. "We've got trouble!" he cried. It was Gizmo and Mammoth again. This time they were trying to rob gold from the first national bank

"We gotta stop 'em." snapped Cyborg, but he and the others kept well in mind that Gizmo and Mammoth were much tougher now, but they had to at least try.

…

In literature, Garfield and Terra were classmates again, and the teacher gave everyone them the assignment of writing a ten page report, single spaced, on a Shakespearian story, of their choosing. The class moaned in annoyance of having to do that much work, but they got to it anyways.

Garfield managed to hand in a fully-written report before class was halfway over, much to the teacher's amazement, and the other students' shock, but none as shocked as Terra. She had barely finished her first page, and he was done just like that?

Jackie and Jillian, who were sitting way in the back of the room, were really starting to hate this kid, and decided to teach him a manner or two right now.

Garfield, who was up at the front of the room, was buried in his extra-credit assignments, and some new ones given to him by the teacher just now, yet, suddenly, he ears twitched. _He could hear the sound of Jackie and Jillian crumpling up paper into balls, and he could hear them pitching the balls right at him…!_

He quickly ducked his head down. The paper-balls missed him entirely, and hit the teacher causing her to spill her coffee all over her desk and papers. "Who did this?" she asked sternly. A couple of the students pointed at Jackie and Jillian, and as punishment, the teacher gave them an after-school detention, much to their dismay.

Garfield, however, was intrigued by how he was able to hear them all, but he couldn't understand it. _Ordinary humans didn't have super-sensitive hearing._

The next two classes before lunch were, science, and history, and just like before, he zipped through a few of his assignments like that. This impressed the teachers well, but only aggravated bullies and slacker students even more. Garfield was starting to think that fitting was going to be a lot harder than he thought.

When he got to his locker to put his books away, something felt wrong, he smelledstrange odors. On the tip of his locker he smelled the moisture of _someone's hand_ on the handle of his locker. He could also smell the scent of something unfamiliar in his locker like… _a bucket full of water._

He gently griped the handle, and flung the locker open, and caught the bucker of water before it splashed on him. Many of the students were amazed at how he reacted so quickly, and Jackie and Jillian, who placed the bucket in the locker hoping to get back at him for the detention fiasco, they were shocked to wonder how he knew…

Garfield wondered the same thing. First his super hearing, and now a super sense of smell? _"What's going on with me?"_ he wondered.

…

At lunch he didn't seem to think of that too much more He was much too busy doing his extra credit assignments while he ate a simple salad, tofu-dog, and soy milkshake. For some reason, he didn't want to eat any meat, or foods that came from animals, but he couldn't' figure why? Did he have something special for animals?

Another thing he was thinking about was that girl, Terra. Even though they had only just met, he did think she was kind of pretty, yet for some reason, deep down, he couldn't shake off this feeling that he knew her somewhere before.

That's when he felt his head begin to ache a little, and he was beginning to see images in his mind. They were very blurry, and he couldn't make them out. He shook his head vigorously and got back to his work.

Terra, who was sitting a few tables down from him, decided to make her move. She got up and moved towards him. Garfield looked up. "Hi, Terra..." he said. "What brings you here?"

Terra drew in a huge breath. "You can drop the act, Beast Boy." she said. Garfield's eyes widened, and his lips curled into a sneer. "Why does everyone keep calling me that?" he asked irritably. "You've all got the wrong guy."

Terra was confused, "Beast-Boy, stop it!" she said, "If you cam here to talk with me some more…"

"Stop… stop…" Garfield said. "Look… I don't know who you're talking about, but I'm telling you, you've got the wrong guy, and I don't even know you, and right now, I'm trying to get my work done."

Terra said nothing more, and went back to her seat where her friends were waiting. Terra wasn't convinced at all, and thought Beast-Boy was just doing was she did, pretending he didn't know her or remember who he was either, but she had way to prove it.

Jackie and Jillian had an idea, one that wasn't violent but guaranteed to expose that kid, and maybe get him out of Terra's life for good. For once, Terra actually agreed…!

…

_**Author's notes:**_

_**Sorry, no song this time. I can't find or make anything that fits. Besides… they don't have to sing in EVERY chapter.**_


	8. Worthless

_**Author's notes:**_

_**Some of you may recognize this upcoming song from THE BRAVE LITTLE TOASTER.**_

_**Note this: If you were actually watching this, then the scenes would interlude during the song while no lyrics were played.**_

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

The Titans found Gizmo and Mammoth, and they were joined by Slade's robot-men, and they, too, were equipped with the defensive belts which would shield them from all attacks and powers the titans could throw at them.

The Titans tried their very best, but it was just no use…! The Titans were starting to feel really weak, and foolish, just as they sang "Worthless"

…

While that was going on… Lunch break was over at school, and Garfield was already hard at work in his computer class. One of them computers even developed a serious problem, but Garfield managed to repair it before everyone's eyes.

Even some of the nerdy kids began to feel something was strange about Garfield. _"What is with this kid?" _They wondered.

…

Robin was being tackled by several of the robots, and as long as they had their defensive-belts, nothing he tried would work.

…

Gizmo and Mammoth were just staring Raven down. "What are you waiting for?" she asked. The two crooks hinted at the music and tapped their feet in patience. Raven rolled her eyes, "Oh, fine! I'll sing!"

"Hmm! That's better." grunted Mammoth, and he charged right at her coliding into her and knocking her hard into a wall.

…

It was time for another Class change, and Garfield was confronted by Jackie and Jillian. "Listen, Brat-Boy! You quit following Terra around! You got that?" snapped Jillian.

Garfield couldn't help but wonder if he had heard that insult, _Brat-Boy,_ somewhere before, but he didn't have time to worry about it, and he was growing annoyed with all this. "For the last time…" he snapped "I don't know what you're talking about. Now, if you please…?" and he walked off to his next class; Arts and Crafts.

…

The Titans just couldn't seem to land a single successful blow, or deal any damage. Now, even Gizmo and Mammoth started to sing.

…

The students in art class were told to make drawings of landscapes that expressed certain feelings and emotion, and Garfield already had the perfect ideas. Only he wished Terra's creepy friends would stop making weird faces at him, as well as giving him the. _"I'll be watching you"_ expression.

…

The police were coming, and once again, the crooks decided to split, and leave the gold behind, but the Titans weren't about to let them get away this time. "TITANS… AFTER THEM!" shouted Robin.

Gizmo and Mammoth were really getting a kick out of this. The more The Titans tried to get at them, them more they got to beat them to the ground.

…

Garfield was almost finished with his picture. It was a half-and-half portrait of a house in a field. On one side the house was in a meadow field surrounded by flowers and birds, while the other side had the house looking like a haunted mansion, with cold and nasty dark and stormy skies, a hunted forest, and bats, wolves, and cats everywhere.

"Hmm… very interesting Mr. Logan." said the teacher.

Garfield nodded in thanks. He really was proud of his work, and hoped maybe it could be used for something constructive.

…

The Titans had lost the crooks for the second time. Robin was so mad, he looked as if he would explode. So did Cyborg…

…

Back at school, Garfield had already finished his last two classes of the day. Cooking/Baking, where he did fairly well in making things with tofu, but in his last class, Gym, he was in for another startling shock…!

Today, everyone was doing track and field. So the boys all ran ten laps around the entire field, but as Garfield started to run he found himself going faster, and faster, "Hey! Whoa-!" he cried, as he did all ten of his laps before the other boys had even done three.

The other boys, and even the coach were shocked, but no one as shocked as Garfield was.

The next event was a long jump. The boys were to see how far they could jump across a ten-foot sand-spread, but when it came to Garfield's turn to jump. He took his run and he leapt, "WHOA-!" _more than twenty feet!_

Garfield couldn't believe this. Was he going crazy? First he can run faster than a car, and now he leaps a fantastic distance on his own? It was just like earlier today with his sense of smell and hearing…!

"_What's happening to me?"_ he wondered as he went to his locker to get ready to go home. He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't watch where he was going and he bumped into two of the school bullies. "Hey!" snapped one of them.

"Oh… sorry about that." Garfield apologized, but the bullies preferred to teach him a lesson. "Here's something to teach you to watch where you're going, you nerd!" and he aimed a powerful punch direct at Garfield's face, but Garfield leaned back, really, really back byt the knees causing the bully to miss and smack the wall instead.

The students were all gazing at Garfield, and amazed to see him bending that way. Garfield straightened himself up right, and that's when the other bully went for him. He aimed a punch for his face, but Garfield quickly grabbed it tightly in his hand. "AAAH…!" cried the bully, he felt as if he hand had been grabbed by a gorilla and was crushing him bad.

Garfield let him go, and the two creeps ran away like frightened mice, leaving Garfield more confused than ever. Now he had a gorilla's strength, and super-flexibility…? He was really starting to feel scared with his own self. He was snapped out of his trance when the school-intercom beeped, and a message for Garfield that he was to report to the Principal's office.

As he walked along his way, some of the students taunted and hooted at him, and tried to freak him out by making him out to be in trouble, and he began to believe that when he got to the principal's office, and there were two police officers waiting there for him. The Principal and the two cops apologized for the inconvenience, but they had received an anonymous request to undergo a few questions and tests.

Garfield still didn't understand, but decided to go along with the tests anyway. The first test was his finger prints. It was harmless enough, but then when it came to a lie detector test, he was asked questions about being Beast-Boy and all that other stuff, and he grew annoyed again.

"I'm, NOT, Beast Boy! I'm not even a hero!" he would keep snarling, and despite him being angry, the test concluded he wasn't lying… _only because, and unaware to the other men, that he had amnesia. There was no way he could be lying about things he didn't even remember._

The police even tried to matched up his fingerprints with Beast-Boy's, on file, but they were not identical in any way. _This was because of the fact that his body had been altered both outside and inside, so his fingerprints were now different._

Garfield was dismissed peacefully, and was apologized to again, but Garfield didn't feel that they were the people who owed him an apology. He left the school with a very sour look on his face, and as he crossed the yard, Terra was there, and judging by the look on her face, he could tell that she was responsible for the events in the office. He turned away from her and dashed up the street. "Garfield… Wait!" cried Terra. She wanted to apologize to him, but he was already gone, thanks to his incredible speed.

"I'm sorry…!" Terra yelled up the street.

…

Garfield went back to his apartment, and threw his book bag down on the floor. "How could she do that to me?" he thought to himself. _"I am not this Beast-Boy guy, or whatever."_

His very first day of school didn't go very well, and left him feeling a little too upset work on his extra credit assignments. So he decided to go out and get some food with whatever money he was given from Von-Richter, until he could find a job… which he also intended to do.

…

Terra had a music class as an after school program with Jackie and Jillian. She played a base-guitar. Jackie was on the drums, and Jillian played an electric guitar. Terra was really starting to think that she really upset Garfield. She was so mixed up she could barely play her base..

Jackie and Jillian couldn't believe how much of an impact this kid had on Terra. It didn't matter to them now if he was Beast-boy or not, they could already tell that this kid needed to be taught some lessons about messing with them and their friend.

…

Later that night, The Titans had gone out for pizza, but they hardly seemed too eager to eat. What with what was happening with Beast-boy, and getting beaten by Gizmo and Mammoth for the second time, and no closer to gaining any information o what Slade was planning. "Man, I can't take much more of this." Cyborg said. "We've gotta' come up with some way to beat those guys."

Starfire agreed, but she also wished that Beast-Boy was with them. "Perhaps he would be here to help us discover the weakness of our enemies...?"

Raven just snorted, and quoted that, "Beast-Boy was never always the brightest of thinking." That's when she noticed the others all staring at her. "So, ya' admit ya' miss him?" Cyborg asked.

Raven sighed, "Oh… all right." she snapped. "I miss his stupid jokes… His stupid face.. and his stupid… stupidity…!"

"Raven…?" Robin groaned n dismay to her attitude.

"And why am I stupidly starting to worry about him?" replied Raven.

Sitting only a few tables down from the titans, Garfield was halfway through his small vegetarian pizza. His mind was still focused on finding a job, but where would he find it, and what would it be like? As much he knew Von-Richter was helping support him, he really wanted to take responsibility and make money for himself. He decided he would go job hunting, but for now, he decided to head on home and finish working on those extra credit assignments. If he did enough of them, he would earn high school credits a lot faster, and graduate sooner.

On his way to the trash-bin, he bumped into Starfire as she was coming back from a washroom trip. "Beast Boy…!" she gleamed, but Garfield scoffed, "Not, you again?" and he turned and walked straight past her and out the exit. "Wait! Wait!" she called after him. The other titans saw the commotion and dashed to catch up with her. They had all chased Garfield half way up the street when he stopped to face them, "What do you people want from me?" he asked irritably "What is it about me that's got you following me everywhere I go?"

Being cautious with how to treat him, Robin still tried to explain. "Beast Boy, we just want you to remember us." said Robin. "You have to remember that we're your friends, and that you're one of us."

Garfield took a step back, "You're wrong!" he sneered.

Starfire tried to reach out for him, "Please… let us help you, Beast-Boy."

"Stop calling me that!" growled Garfield. "Sorry I growled, but you people are really starting to annoy me, now please, go home, and leave me alone." Then he turned on his heel and walked up the street leaving The Titans standing there grimly and in shame and sadness.

"That went well…" grumbled Cyborg.

…

As Garfield walked home to his apartment his head began to ache a little again, just like it did at school today, and more blurry images flashed in his mind. Though he still could not make them out, they seemed slightly clearer than before. It was as if some of the things he had a just said, he either had said or heard before.

Still, the images faded as fast as they had come, and so he disregarded them and kept on going.

…

Over the next few days, Garfield did feel much a little better after a few good night sleeps, and getting a lot of his tests back with perfect scores, but it didn't last. The kids at school were all starting to get meaner and meaner, and some even pulled pranks on him…!

He got to his locker, and found someone had stuck a note on it which read; _"Geek!"_ Garfield was laughed at by people in the hallway, and some people even pitched small pebbles at him from behind while he wasn't looking. He was taunted, hooted at during, and in between classes. It was like no one in the entire building cared about a student who preferred to work hard and study.

At least it was nice to know that all his extra credit assignments were still coming nicely and he had already earned several high-school credits in his first week, and that was nearly impossible for anyone to do. This, also, was what made him a perfect target for bullies, but he was still able to maintain a good strong attitude.

Still, school didn't seem to be his only problem. All that week, after school, he tried and tried to find a part-time job, but every place rejected him either due to a lack of experience, over qualification of his high IQ, or just a lame excuse and misjudging him without even letting him have a chance.

However, his troubles were not going entirely unnoticed…

Terra has seen how mean everyone was treating Garfield, and now she was actually starting to think that he needed help. Maybe even… a friend, but she didn't know if talking to him would be the right thing, not after that fiasco with the police the other day.

While she still believed that he was Beast-Boy, even now she was starting to wonder if she was wrong to judge him, and this, sadly brought on visions of what she did to Beast-Boy when he confronted her in the very hallway she was standing in.

Terra clutched her books in her arms and remembered the words she spoke _"things change, Beast-Boy. The girl you want me to be is just a memory."_

And she also remembered what Beats-Boy had told her that night at the café. _"Things do change, Terra, but some things never change."_

Poor Terra. She was all torn up, between her actions of what she did to both Beast-Boy and Garfield. What was she going to do? Was she starting to regret her actions of what she did to Beast-Boy, or was it just because of the guilt she felt for humiliating Garfield, and that he resembled Beats-Boy.

All she could do now was wait, and hope that something would turn up.


	9. Go the distance

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

It was Monday, and time for a new week at school, and Garfield's weekend wasn't at all satisfactory. He still hadn't found a job. He still hadn't really made any new friends either at or outside of school, and it wasn't all that easy living all alone in a single apartment.

That wasn't all that was bothering him…

He was still curious about those special abilities he seemed to have. Running fast, leaping high and far. He had super-sensitive hearing and a strong sense of smell. Amazing flexibility and super strength…! He was starting to wonder if maybe he was born with some sort of powers, but that felt scientifically impossible…

…or was it?

As he continued to walk to school, he could see a couple of the bullies picking on poor fifth graders half their size. "Leave us alone!" the kids cried. "Someone help us!" This only made the bullies laugh, and they looked ready to kick some serious butt, "There's no one coming for you, you little runts." snapped one of the boys. "There's no getting away! Now hand over your lunch money and anything else you got in those backpacks before we get real mad!"

The young kids refused. So they bigger boys saw no choice. "Okay… you asked for it!" they growled as they flexed their fists. The little kids screamed, but before they got punched, Garfield came just in the nick of time and grabbed one of the boy's arms, squeezing tightly with his gorilla strength. "Hey!" he snapped. The bully groaned and yelped in pain by the awesome grip this kid had on his arm.

Garfield told the small kids to run for it, leaving him now to face the big bullies. "So you like to pick on little guys, eh? Well why don't you pick on me?"

The bullies decided that this kid was going down. The bully on the right went first, despite that his arm was sore from being grabbed. "You're gonna die!" he snarled, and he dashed right for him, but Garfield, using his swift speed, dodged the charging bully making him slammed right into the brick wall behind him.

Garfield chuckled softly, and then gazed at the other bully, "If there's one thing I hate, it's couple of big guys picking on kids smaller than they are just to feel great about themselves. You two are just sad."

"Oh, yeah…?" snapped the bully, "I'll show you sad, punk!" and the bully kicked a huge dent in garbage can on the sidewalk. Garfield, however, jus picked up a small, yet solid rock off the road and crushed it in his bare hand in seconds. The two bullies gasped in shock, and decided to split before anything else happened.

Garfield felt good, really good. The way he beat up those bullies and saved those kids with his new abilities, and who knew how many other abilities he had?

…

That day at school, however, Garfield knew fighting was not permitted on school grounds. So he couldn't put up his fists like he did in the street but he had other ways of getting back at those who were mean to him- his high grades, and outstanding test-scores.

He got three straight A's in a row that one day while most of the other students did fairly okay, yet some like Jackie and Jillian flunked big time. As for Terra, she was starting to show signs of slipping; A C-minus in math, a D in history, a D-Minus in biology.

If this kept up, she's never get the credits she needed to graduate this year and would have to repeat twelfth grade. Even her teachers were starting to grow concerned with her grades plunging.

Her biology teacher was willing to take a slight desperate move. At the end of class he instructed for both she and Garfield to stay for a quick word. The teacher explained that if Terra was going to get her grades back up she would need a tutor, "And so, I'm appointing Garfield."

"Huh?" exclaimed Garfield.

Jackie and Jillian heard this as they were leaving, "WHAT?" they whined.

"Study with that Brat-Boy?" snorted Jillian. "Nerd is so not cool."

Jackie even got this strange idea, "Can't _we_ just tutor her instead?"

As if the teacher was willing to hand Terra over to _them!_ "Perhaps you girls don't understand. We want Terra's grade to go _up."_

Even though Garfield himself wasn't exactly sure about this, as he still wasn't sure if it was what Terra or her twisted friends wanted, he was inclined to agree as he was promised that this would help him earn more credits to his record. He and Terra promised to meet in the library after school, much to Jackie and Jillian's dismay.

After School… They did just that. They were in the library, and Terra was quite surprised to see that Garfield was taking this well after what she did to him last week. "It's in the past, and no one got hurt." he simply told her, and they continued with their session only, Terra could barley understand a word Garfield was saying…!

It was hard enough that he sometimes used those long and complicated words that only smart people with high IQs like his would understand, but Terra had a hard time even understanding the simplest things. She almost even fell asleep out of boredom and exhaustion from struggling.

"Terra…!" Garfield snapped, softly.

Terra woke up with a yelp, and the strict librarian hushed her. Terra felt embarrassed, but Garfield felt that this was hopeless. "What's the matter with you?" Garfield asked, "We've been at it for a half an hour and you've barley read half a chapter of one book."

Terra apologized; it was just that she had a full and busy schedule ahead of her. She had to meet Jackie and Jillian for their music class in another half hour. Then they were going to head out to the mall, and finish up with some lattes at Ben's Café.

Garfield already seemed to note the problem. Terra needed to spend less time with Jackie and Jillian and more time hitting the books. He also believed the girls to be a bad influence on her. "Terra… can I ask you something?"

"Sure…"

"What do you see in those girls?"

Terra did her best to explain about how she was unpopular, and Jackie and Jillian befriended her to include her as part of their cool-girls club. They planned to whip her into shape and make her just like them. She'd be liked by boys, having extreme fashion senses, and a carefree world without having to work at all.

Garfield thought that was a very foolish arrangement. "How do you know that?" Terra asked. "Didn't you ever feel like that in your old schools?"

Garfield didn't think it was right to tell her, but he never went to any other schools. Last Monday was his very first day of school, and he didn't remember much of his life. He didn't even know how he got his high IQ. "All I remember is how my folks died, and coming here… other than that I'm not even sure I know who I am, or where I'm going."

Terra almost knew exactly how he felt, _all this was remainder her more and more about Beast Boy and the Teen Titans and whether or not she was doing the right thing anymore by staying in high-school_, _perusing a normal life._ But she didn't tell him that… for that matter she never told anyone, and decided it best to keep her old life a secret so as not to blow her cover and make people think of her as… a freak.

They decided to pick up on their studies tomorrow. Terra had to get to music-class, and Garfield needed to go look for a job. He was still feeling a little bummed though. He tried to fit in his very best, but it was no use.

He stopped by at the park on his way into town, gazed at his reflection in the water of the fountain and skipped a rock and lamented though song how he longed to "Go the distance" and fit in with everyone around him.

Garfield searched for a job, but once again he was unwelcome, not given the chance, and dejected by grumpy, mean, and very selfish people. He was starting to lose hope in ever finding employment, but that was soon to change when he went to a convenience-store to get some simple groceries.

Suddenly. in burst a crook with a shotgun. "All right you…!" he snapped as he pitched a sack at the clerk. "Money… in the bag… now!" he snarled as he clicked his gun. The other shoppers held their hands up high as the clerk nervously began loading up the money.

Garfield was the only person not seen by the crook, and he realized he would have to do something about this. "Move it…!" snapped the looter. "Move! Or I'll blow your beans out of you!"

"Beans…?" Garfield whispered, then he looked over the grill in the middle of the store behind the crook's back was a pot of _"Hot Baked Beans"_ for the hotdogs… and he had an idea...

He silently slipped past the crook while his back was still turned, and just as the guy was getting ready to split with the cash, Garfield grabbed the hot pot, "Yo', Dude… CATCH!" and flung the hot beans. The crook turned round just in time as the extremely hot beans splashed on him! He dropped his gun, crying out in pain "IT BURNS! IT BURNS!"

Garfield then leapt over, and beat the guy up, using his animal skills and strength, until he was out cold. "Oh… you brave young man." said the clerk. "How can I ever repay you?" Garfield asked if it was possible for him to get a job, unfortunately the store staff was already full, "But I may know of a place where you can get one."

The clerk handed Garfield a card that had an address to a TV and music network studio where, they made all kinds of videos, live TV-shows, and even music-videos, and being a job in showbiz the pay was considered quite incredible. Garfield decided he would try it out.

Also, after beating up that crook, he had something else in mind too… of yet another job he could have, but first he needed to worry about that job.


	10. New Job

**CHAPTER NINE**

Garfield had booked a meeting with the producers of the TV-Studio, and the next day, after school he went there for his interview. The inside of the studio sure looked cool. Lots of different sets were everywhere, and lots of actors were doing their screenplay.

Then Garfield met the person he was looking for. _Bob_; the owner and manager…

Bob took one look at Garfield. "Freeze." he said, and then he began looking at him over from head to toe. "Perfect… just amazing." he kept on going, "You're just the kind of kid we're looking for."

Garfield felt a little embarrassed, but when Bob said that he would be going on TV, he felt most interested in the job already. What he would be doing was… he'd be hosting their latest sketch called, _"Mysterious Theater."_

It was supposed to be show that told tragic true-stories that people sent in to describe their heartbreaking despairs, and miseries. They already had a lot of stories sent in, and completed the video editing. Now, they just needed someone to host the intro and closure.

Garfield wasn't sure about this. It didn't seem right to exploit other people's private thoughts and feelings to the world, even if they were sent in deliberately. Then again, he knew what inner pain and misery all too well, and thought it would be nice to show the world how not to be so mean to others, and when he was told how much he'd get paid. "When do I start?" he asked.

Bob smiled and then instructed his people to get the set and things all ready. Garfield was to start right away and work every Friday. By 5pm, it was show time.

…

These days, Terra lived in an apartment with a nice old lady. Heidi Von-Richter, the younger sister of Nobel Von-Richter. She graciously took Terra into her home, because just like her brother, she too never had a family.

"_I always vanted a girl of my own, and now my vish 'as come true."_ She felt like an adopted grandmother, and even allowed Terra to call her that.

Terra was in her room, concentrating far too much on her homework as recommended by Garfield. Still, she couldn't help but continue to think about him, and she hoped he had found a job by now. Still, she really wished she could've done something to help him more the way he was helping her.

Then her Heidi came in with a small plate of cookies and a glass of juice. "Come no, Terra… you must stop vorking so 'ard." she said. "'Ere… 'ave a snack, you'll feel better."

Terra decided maybe she should take a break. "Thanks, Grandma." she said as she took the plate and juice from her. "You do so much for me."

Heidi smiled. "I just want you to be 'appy, dear." she said as she shut the door. That's when her phone rang.

"_Hello, Heidi, Nobel 'ere."_

Heidi loved it when her brother called, even if he was far away on the mountains. They always shared a lovely chat, and Von-Richter told Heidi everything that was going on with his new machine and how he was making repairs, but he also warned her what was happening with Garfield, and not to tell Terra any of this.

Heidi hated keeping the secret from Terra, but knew her brother was right.

…

At the tower, things were quiet as usual. Beast Boy's absence was really becoming more and harder to deal with. Robin had called up Von-Richter for the umpteenth time to ask how the machine was coming along, but to his dismay, Von-Richter had reported that it was still going to be a long, long time…

"_I may not get zee machine vorking until, maybe, zee summer."_

Even still, their last meeting with Beast-Boy made things no easier. His amnesia seemed to be more powerful than anyone thought. The odds of him ever remembering were very slim.

Raven never even thought she'd miss him this much. She was even starting to miss his bad jokes. She also took the time once in a while to gaze into his bedroom. Despite still being cluttered and a little messy, it seemed so empty without him in it.

Raven didn't even feel much like meditating, or reading her books. She was really _that_ bored, So, for once, she actually decided to watch TV. She sat herself down on the sofa, and clicked on the TV, and the moment the picture became clear this weird show came on.

_**(Just like Sesame Street's Mysterious Theater opening)**_

It started out with this picture of a beautiful church, with flowery meadows and clear blue skies, but with haunted, ominous music playing, and wolves howling, and girls screaming like in a murder story.

BOOM! Lighting and thunder flashed across the screen, and the picture had changed into a haunted burned out wasteland, with dark skies, and the church now looking old and creepy. Giant blood-red letters appeared on the screen spelling out the title of the show.

"_**MYSTERIOUS-THEATER"**_

The music kept playing, wolves kept on howling, and even some cats began to meow in fear as the screen zoomed in to the building's black window, the title words exploded, and the senesce changed. Raven's eyes widened when she saw who was on TV. "Hey! Everyone, come quick!" she called.

The other Titans burst into the lounge, and they saw it too…

"Whoa!"

"No way, man."

"Please… tell me that it is not what I believe it to be."

…

She had also tuned into the show, and almost choked on her cookie at what she saw. "It can't be…!" she cried. It was Garfield; he was sitting in a big strong chair, in a dark room. He was dressed in a red bathrobe, with white silk clothes underneath. Candles were lit all around him, and a fireplace with a fire roaring. Garfield gazed out the window, sternly, as more thunder and lighting struck, and then gazed back at the camera, and began to open the show.

"_I am your host… Garfield Logan." _he said in a soft yet deep voice._ "Welcome to Mysterious Theater. The show that brings you Tragic stories… with many broken hearts and surprised endings."_

He went on to explain that tonight's story was about a young man who's girlfriend left him for another man because she needed a change in her life. Now the man was lost in a woe of misery which was entitled…

"_**The Alphabet of Despair."**_

More thunder stuck again, _"Let's join them… now." _That's when the scene began to fade out, and the story began.

…

_The story, filmed in black and white took, place in a café that had pretty much closed down for the evening. The only people who were still around, was a young woman named Lisa… who was listening to Dan, a piano-man, play an old song she and her ex-lover use to hear a lot._

_He kept on playing the song, and Poor Lisa looked as though she was going to cry. "I haven't heard it since so many years ago." she cried. "Please… Say it again, Dan."_

_Dan kept playing, and looked up at her. "But… Ms. Lisa, Mr. Vick said I wasn't allowed to-"_

"_Please…" Lisa begged. "Do it for old time sake? Say it again, Dan. Recite, the Alphabet of Despair."_

_Dan couldn't say no to her sorrowing face. "Well… all right." And he began to recite a version of the alphabet in which all 26 letters stood for something miserable or painful._

"_A…is for Agony." _

"_B…is for Bitter."_

"_C…is Contempt."_

"_D…is for Doom."_

"_E…is Eternal Doom."_

"_F… is Forgotten."_

"_And G… is for Gruesome."_

_Before Dan could continue, a tall skinny young man walked right over towards him. "Dan!" he snapped. "I thought I told you Never to say that!"_

_Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the eyes of… "What? Lisa."_

"_Hello Vick." the sad woman cried. "Oh… I must go. Goodbye Vick." and she hastily got up and left leaving a trail of her tears behind._

_Vick sighed heavily and sadly to himself, and slowly slumped down into the chair where Lisa was sitting. Dan looked up at him from his piano as he kept on playing. "Hey… what's the matter, Boss?"_

_Vick sadly shook his head. "Of all the places in the world, she had to walk into mine joint!" he said sadly. "Finish it up Dan."_

_Dan wasn't sure he quite got that. Did Vick just asked him to continue the alphabet? "But, Boss… you just told me that-"_

"_Look… you did it for her… now you can do it for me." Vick said. "I want to hear it."_

_Dan nodded his head. "Okay, Boss… from where I left off."_

"_H…is for Horror."_

"_I…is Isolation."_

"_J… is for Junk heap."_

"_K… is for Kicked out."_

"_L…is Loneliness."_

"_M…is for Misery."_

"_N…is for Nothingness."_

"_O… is for Oblivion."_

"_And P… is for Pain."_

_Dan stopped when he noticed Vick staring off into space with a sad expression on his face. "Aw… that brings back so many memories." he said. "I always sang whenever she and I weren't together, and again after she left me all those years ago."_

"_Finish it up Dan."_

"_But, but… Boss-"_

"_Finish… it… up… Dan!" _

_Dan nodded nervously. "Sure… sure thing, Boss."_

"_Q… is Quadruple the Pain"_

"_R…is for Rot."_

"_S…is for Sorrow."_

"_T…is for Terror."_

"_U… is Unbearable."_

"_V… is the Vastness."_

"_W…is Worthless."_

"_X… is X'ed-out"_

"_Y…is a Yell of fear."_

"_And Z… is for Zoom, back to the beginning"_

_Dan was starting to get really tired. "Now Boss… please go home and get some sleep!" he begged._

"_No." Vick snapped. "I want to hear it again. Say it again Dan."_

_Dan moaned under his breath and then started to recite the alphabet… right as the screen blacked out._

…

As the show continued, The Titans all were going through a mixture of feelings. "That… is just…" Robin tried to search for words, but. "… I don't even know how to describe that."

Starfire wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. "Oh! That is more depressing than the blue _Blubberwilcks_ on the _Planet of Doom_." she sobbed.

Cyborg shook his head sadly. "Man, this is cold." he said. "Yet, it's sweet too."

Raven was totally speechless. This was even creepier and darker than anything she had ever read in her books. "How can Beast Boy host such a terrible, depressing show?" she wondered.

By the show's end…

…

_The scene changed to sunrise, and the roosters were crowing. Dan, who had been playing all night, looked exhausted. "Boss…" he begged, his voice all scratchy and hoarse. "Boss… it's sunrise… please-?"_

_But Vick just looked over his shoulder. "Say it again, Dan."_

"_Wha- A…again?"_

_Vick slumped into his chair. "Again!"_

_Dan gazed at the audience. "Oh, no!" and he turned back to his piano and began playing and hoarsely reciting the alphabet._

"_A… B… C… D… E…" by the time he finished, __Dan collapsed as he played the last few notes, and Vick lay his head face down in his arms on the table._

_**THE END**_

The scene faded back to Garfield. _"And so ends, The Alphabet of Despair." _he said to the wolves howled and that haunted music started up again as the credits popped up in front of him as he did the closure…

"_Tune in next week, for more tragic tales of deep despair from a world where hearts are never healed, and spirits are lost forever. Until then… I'm your host, Garfield Logan, bidding you farewell… from Mysterious Theater."_

He turned to look out the window as thunder crashed again, and he sadly nodded his head, and the program was over.

…

Terra couldn't stop staring at the screen, even after the program had ended. That was one of the most tragic, and depressing stories she had ever heard of… and it was Garfield was in the center of it all.

…

Robin had already jotted down the address of the studio where Mysterious Theater was filmed, courtesy of the credits. "We're going down there." he said. "There's no more time to wait. We have to talk to Beast Boy, now!"

"Man's got a point." said Cyborg. "All this is going to do is make things bad for him."

Raven and Starfire almost didn't agree at first, but they all were off anyway.

…

In Beast-Boy's room, Copy-Cat was filled with pity. "You did not enjoy doing Mysterious Theater that much, did you?" Copy Cat asked.

Beast Boy admitted he didn't enjoy it much, but a job was a job. Just like the time he worked at "Mega Meaty Meat"

"At least I found a job I could make money for." he said. "But, things in my life were about to get even more mysterious than ever."


	11. The Manimal

**CHAPTER TEN**

Once the set was stuck, and Garfield changed back into his regular clothes, he was presented with his first paycheck right away. He took just one look at the amount he was paid for just that one show, and… "Whoa…!" he exclaimed, and he promised that and plenty more in the weeks to come.

Garfield never felt this way before. No one ever gave him such generosity.

…

The Titans arrived at the station, but the guards wouldn't let them through, as they had no passes, nor an appointment booked, and as urgent as it was that they speak to Beast Boy… the Titans decided to wait. They didn't have to wait too long as they saw Garfield walking out the entrance with his first load of cash from his performance. "See you all next week." he called to his employers.

He began walking down the street when he was confronted by The Titans. He narrows his eyes in annoyance, and began to walk a little faster up the street, but the titans pretty much jogged to keep up with him. "Why are you still running from us?" Robin asked.

"I'm not running from anyone." snapped Garfield, "Go away, and leave me alone!"

"Not until you talk to us." said Cyborg. But to Garfield, there was nothing to talk about, and he demanded, harshly, that The Titans stop following him or he'd call the police and issue a restraining order.

"Friend, if you truly wish to be alone…" Starfire said, "We shall try and respect your wishes." she said. "But please… we wish of you to have this."

She handed him a Titans-Communicator... _the same one he threw away at them._ Staring at the little device made Garfield's brain go wild; crowding up with more blurry memories… he almost could here the voices too.

_It was his memory of him quitting the team, and throwing his communicator away… but the images were far too blurry and the voices were much too unclear._

He snapped himself back to reality. "No… I don't need it." he said and he walked right past them all.

"Beast Boy…!" called Raven…

Garfield stopped in his tracks and held his book to his chest trying to ease his inner pain. "I thought I told you before? My name's not Beast Boy and I am not the guy who you say I am. I'm just plain Garfield Logan, and I have to go home and finish my homework for the weekend."

The Titans all just stood there, and kept gazing at him until he was out of sight.

…

As he continued to walk home, Garfield was still pondering over those weird thoughts that filled his head when he looked at that communicator. Something in his memory was trying to unfold, but what was it? He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, that he didn't see where he was going and he bumped into Terra, who was on her way home from shopping for her grandmother.

"Sorry, Terra… I didn't see you there." He said as he helped her pick up her stuff. "It's no problem." she said. "But, I guess, it's okay that you're here. I… I want to talk to you about something."

Terra told him that she had seen Mysterious Theater on TV. She thought it was kind of bitter-sweet, as a compliment. "But… why would you host a show so bitter and depressing?"

Garfield sighed heavily. The truth was he wasn't so sure he liked it all that much. He even showed her his paycheck. She was amazed to see how much it was. "Garfield, that's a lot of money."

Garfield agreed with her, but he didn't like it that he earned by exploiting people's misery and sadness just to make other people feel worse? "But I need this job, and I really need this cash."

Garfield decided to walk Terra back to the building where she lived. She got a chance to tell him that she was going to ask Jackie and Jillian to stop picking on him at school. Garfield did think that was nice of her, but he told her not to waste her time worrying about him. "I'm used to it… I guess." That didn't stop Terra from worrying. "Garfield…" she asked. "You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but…"

She paused "…Why do you try and shove people away? What is it that you have against everyone?"

Garfield hated it when people asked him that. "That's not it at all." he said. "I don't try to shove people away at all. It's everyone else who does that to me."

Garfield explained how it wasn't easy to be him. The way the students at school didn't like him just because he was smart, or different, or the way he couldn't find a job just because no one would give him a chance. To him, it was if the government didn't care whether he lived or died. He himself was only a few inches away from giving up hope.

He hung his head low. "I really like to be alone all that much, but I'm starting to think there's nothing I can do about that."

Terra felt awful for Garfield, and a little upset at herself, not just for the fact that she had a nice home, a caretaker, and friends in school, _but she was once again being reminded of the times she spent with Beast-Boy, and their little problem back at school when she pushed him away._

"You okay…?" Garfield asked her, snapping her out of her trance. "Uh… yeah, I'm okay." She answered. That's when they both noticed the dusk was staring to settle. Garfield decided to head home before it got dark. "See you on Monday." He bid her goodnight and walked down the street.

Terra never took her eyes off him. _Since she never really forgot her bad past;_ She remembered all the times she was alone a song she hoped Garfield heard and could understand "Just be glad you're you"

Garfield was at home doing his homework, and extra credit projects. Not that they were too much of a challenge with his genius mind. Still, it didn't change what he had planned now; an attempt to possibly get him some real good recognition and maybe a little praise from the people of the city.

Despite all that was going on with him, he had been observing and studying his unique abilities. His super strength, speed, senses, and reflexes of many different animals, and after running into The Titans tonight, it gave him the impression maybe he could be like them… become a new super hero.

As was said, he already had many abilities, and his super smarts, there were only two things he needed now: He would need some _gadgets _and things like that. After all, as reliable as his normal abilities were, he had a sick feeling he'd need more than what they could provide alone. This only left one more thing: _A costume_. Too many people already knew what he looked like, so he'd have to hide his identity.

Now that he had a lot of cash on him, and a genius brain… he began drawing up plans and potential designs for that costume. He went and bought fabrics, tools, and other material. Then over the next few weeks, he spent all his free time drawing up plans, sewing and welding everything he had into what he needed.

…

It was the last Friday of February, just before March, and Garfield was just wrapping up another weekly episode on Mysterious Theater.

_The story was about a young man who raced against time to get to his sweetie and confess how much he loved her before she married someone else, but when he got there he was rejected. So in the end, he made it look as if he'd killed himself, when in reality he had just faked his death to peruse the rest of his life alone while everyone else would think he really was dead._

..

The thunder crashed, the winds were howling as the ominous music played and Garfield, seated in his haunted dark room, wrapped things up. "And thus ends another disturbing episode from the world where hearts never healed and souls are lost forever. Join us next time for _Mysterious Theater._ Until then; this is your host, Garfield Logan saying… Goodbye." More thunder roared and the show was over. "Okay... and we're out." said Bob. "Great work, kid… they loved you."

Garfield sighed softly, another week of exploiting other peoples sadness, but he felt slightly better when he collected his pay for the week. One would think that he would soon be rich, but no. He preferred to keep things nice and steady, and help people. So he donated a good sum of his earnings to charities and hospitals. Just because it was hard to help himself, didn't mean it was hard to help others…

_And, help others, he was about to get just the opportunity…!_

As he left work he saw three police-cars whiz by, and a lot of people were running along with them. "Hey! What's going on?" Garfield asked.

"Yo'… it's the Teen Titans… they're being held up in some sort of fight at the bank."

Garfield saw this as a chance to finally use his new surprise. He quickly ran home, and opened up his special wardrobe. "This is where weeks of hard work pay off." he said to himself as he donned his new suit. "Get ready world… there's a new guy in town."

…

The Titans were once again being held up by Gizmo and Mammoth, who had been robbing the same bank from the last time. Once again, The Titans paled to the duo's special-belts. They were now bound and gagged, and Gizmo placed near them was a special explosive that would go off if they attempted to use their powers or abilities to escape. Even if the Titans didn't move, the timer set it to go off in ten minutes. "See you later…Not!" laughed Gizmo.

Still, even with The Titans unable to move, "The police have the building surrounded. You won't escape" snapped Robin.

Gizmo and Mammoth didn't care. They could still head to the roof, and escape that way. They headed for the first rooftop, but suddenly they were confronted by someone dropping down in front of their way.

He wore a black suit with white solid-bold stripes forming a Y-shape from over his shoulder and down to his waist which was wrapped with and armored belt. Golden shoulder-pads supporting a strong cape, black on the outside and red on the inside, and he also wore a complete black motorcycle helmet, with a removable mouth-guard, and solid horns like a bull, and rhino.

The duo gawked in confusion. "Any idea about who or _what_… this is?" asked Mammoth. "I don't know… but I'll bet he never asked to look for a fashion designer." mocked Gizmo.

The stranger stared them all down, and spoke in a very deep, yet stern voice, _"You may have come this far, but you're still not home free yet."_ he said. _"Now you face me…__**The Manimal."**_

"The Manimal…?" asked Mammoth. "Sounds more like a cheap burger name to me, because that's who you're… ABOUT TO BECOME ONE…!" He charged forward, but Manimal just stood his guard and then, suddenly, reached out and grabbed Mammoth's fists, halting him in his tracks. "Huh? What the-…?"

Manimal seemed to be using the strength of a real mammoth himself as he gave Mammoth a huge shove and send him skidding into the wall. "Man… what hit me?

Gizmo was shocked. "Let's get him…!" he shouted. Everyone down below in the street looked to the rooftops and saw the commotion, and Terra was one those people.

_**(The Batman, 90s Animated Series Theme)**_

Gizmo and Mammoth tried their defensive-belts but it was no good. The belts were only attuned to the powers of the Teen Titans, which meant the Manimal could land his hits. Using his super-speed, he dashed circles around the crooks, then, from under one of his gloves he squirted both belts with an inky-solution… _like an Octopus._

The belts were shorted out and would never work again. This really angered the crooks. "Okay pal… prepare for a does of genius." Gizmo growled. He clicked his remote, deploying his metal spider-legs, and began crawling his way towards him, and then armed his new laser goggles. "Take this… !" he fired, but Manimal was able to duck and dodge with incredible flexibility. Then, pulling some sharp quills from a small pack on his belt, he pitched them at the spider-legs, _like a porcupine_ and shorted them out. Gizmo landed flat on his face and passed out. _"Genius…? More like, _ingenious." Manimal mocked.

Then he and Mammoth engaged in a fist fight. _"The bigger they are.. the harder they fall."_ He socked Mammoth, POW! Right in the middle of the gut…! "UHN…! Ya'… Got… Me!" and down he went with a huge KERSLPAT.

With the crooks down, Manimal proceeded back downstairs to free the titans. The bomb itself was also attuned to the titans powers' but not his own. The bomb was defused, and the Titans were released.

The Titans were most grateful to this stranger. "I wish to know of who you are…" Starfire asked

"_Who I am… is of no concern to you."_ said Manimal and he dashed back to the roof. "Wait!" called Robin, but by the time the titans got to the roof, Manimal was already far ahead, leaping across the rooftops, and using two grappling-hooks on spring loaded wires to cross larger gaps…. _Like a gorilla on a vine._

"O-kay… that was weird." said Raven. Whoever he was, the Titans had other issues to deal with, like getting the unconscious crooks into custody.

…

Down below in the streets, the citizens were all relived to know that the crisis was over, thanks to that stranger. Terra seemed to be most curious of that new hero. _"He's not a Teen Titan."_ she thought to herself, _"But then… who is he really?"_

…

Manimal was standing up on the tallest building in town, his cape flying in the wind as he gazed at the sleepy town below. The inner thoughts of Garfield Logan rang in his mind. _"The world may never know."_

There was a new super hero in town!


	12. What to think

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

_**(Intro style)**_

_Jump City, a place where crime practically grows on trees! One would find it most difficult to perform the simplest task outdoors without being exposed to danger._

_The Teen Titans: Jump-City's greatest league of heroes. As powerful and graceful as they are, even they cannot be everywhere at any time. Yet the citizens are in luck, while the criminals are not so lucky. For when evil threatens the city and no help seems to be about… _He_ takes the law into his own hands._

_A man with the special forces of animals and nature- Strong as a gorilla, fast as a cheetah, and nimble as a monkey. He is Jump-City's newest hope know to one and all as…_

_THE MANIMAL!_

_**(Star Trek Animated theme)**_

The Manimal was quite the adversary. He was well equipped and powered to fight even some forums of crime that even The Titans hardly ever did. Like convince-store robberies. Ladies being mugged and he even took the time to help people who were in danger; falling from a high place, about get hurt by falling objects... the usual stuff.

All this time, the people of the city were amazed. Many of them thought the Manimal was incredible, but some thought he was just a waste, but above all people kept wondering just one question which was posted in the papers exactly the next week.

"_Who is The Manimal?"_

No one could see behind his helmet, nor recognize his voice. No one even knew where he came from… The reason for that was because Manimal knew secret passages which lead from in the streets to inside his closet in his apartment. This way, he could change between the guys of The Manimal to Garfield Logan, high-school genius.

Garfield could never allow anyone to guess his identity, or he'd be useless as the newly appoint crime fighter he was! Super Heroes, like him, caused a lot of collateral damages, and even though it couldn't have been helped, he didn't want to be sued. Also, if his identity was revealed then every bad guy in the city would be after him, or worse… someone he knew!

"The world must never know." he reminded himself.

…

As for Gizmo and Mammoth…

They were already reported missing from prison. Slade and his army of robots busted them out. All three of them were well aware of the new hero in town. Slade was most intrigued by this from the video footage he had gotten from the city. "Impressive." he hissed. "The Manimal seems to know his ways."

"I'll say he does…" Mammoth complained. "That guy beat us both up and shorted out our belts."

Slade didn't mind that. They couldn't expect to go through such schemes and plans without expecting bumps in the road from. That's why the belts would no longer be used, despite the fact that it made the crooks vulnerable to attacks from anyone again. "But if we aren't going to use the belts what are we going to use?" asked Gizmo.

Slade said nothing for a moment, and then he held up a_ flask of green fluid-_ One that his robots had confiscated. The city's hundredth birthday was in two more days, "And we shall make our first strike then."

…

The Titans did all the readings they could back at the tower, but whoever Manimal really was his DNA didn't match anything they had on file. Raven wasn't even able to make psychic-contact with him because she had no clue where to start looking. "Whoever's in that suit must really not want us to know who it is." said Robin.

"Well, we know for sure he's not our enemy." said Cyborg. "Why else would he have beaten those creeps and return the money?" Starfire thought The Manimal was really cool, but she also wondered why he would just leave, and not be interested in talking to the Titans.

Raven even thought he was mysterious also, and it also became obvious that The Titans hadn't seen the last of him.

…

The next day…

As Garfield was walking to school, he found lots of people reading the newspaper about The Manimal, and he even heard a few words of them giving compliments or questions.

"Loves his cape, it's so cute."

"I wonder who he is."

Garfield couldn't help but smile. It was at least a good start and people were finally starting to like him, even though they had no idea it was really him to begin with. The downside to this was the fact that he couldn't use any of his abilities, unless he was completely alone.

When he got to school, things were starting to go wrong again. The very first thing he saw was Jackie, Jillian, and Terra reading the paper. "Who is Manimal?" Jackie said. "He's got to be a criminal. That's what."

"Yeah." snapped Jillian. "A vigilante… public menace."

Garfield stayed out of sight, but at least in earshot so he could hear them, _thanks to his super-sense of hearing._

"Hey come on guys—that isn't fair." said Terra. "He pulled six people off of the subway before it crashed the other day."

"Sure… from a wreck he probably caused." said Jillian. "Something goes wrong, and this creep shows up instead of the Teen Titans."

"Yeah… and looks at this." added Jackie. "He's fleeing the scene. What does that tell you? Trouble, I say." Terra disagreed completely. "He's not fleeing. He's probably just going off to help someone else. He's a Hero!"

Her friends didn't care, just like times they didn't care about Beast-Boy, and in point of fact. They didn't like super-heroes of any kind, not even the Teen Titans. They were really that self-centered, and only judged all super-heroes as just freaks in costumes looking for free publicity.

Terra didn't need to hear anymore of this. "We better go. Class will start any minute." But after she had left, Jackie and Jillian got a sneaky idea. Both their fathers were editors of the newspaper, and they decided to turn things around on The Manimal.

"If he doesn't want to be famous."

"Then we'll make him infamous."

The two bratty girls sniggered wickedly. All they needed was to get a few good pictures of him, and then they could try and catch him in the act.

…

After School…

Garfield didn't need to tutor Terra today and he volunteered to wash the blackboards in most of the classrooms, and it was a good thing he was all alone too because it meant he could use some of his leopard speed to get the job done quicker.

Finally… he was done his last blackboard in the music-room, and he wasn't even tired. _"Got to love this stuff."_ he thought to himself as he complimented his abilities

He stopped for a minute to peek at the instruments in the rooms. "Cool." He said to himself. "Wish I could be apart of this." Then he looked behind him atone of the pianos. It certainly was beautiful. He suddenly got this strange urge to start playing, even though he had never even touched one in his life. He started to play a soft tune and it amazed him that he was playing it so well for a first time.

While out in the hallways… Terra was on her way early to her music group. As she walked through the hallway she heard the sound of a piano being played. "Wow… that music." she said "Who's playing that?" She kept following the direction of the music until she made it to the music room, and she saw it was Garfield.

He finished playing, and Terra walked into the room. "Garfield?" Garfield winced and almost fell off the stool. "Ah! Oh, Terra. Sorry I didn't know you were there." he said.

Terra walked over to him. "I didn't know you could play the piano?" she asked.

"Neither did I." he answered. He had only studied about playing and mastered the arts in his head, but never before tried it. Yet he just played it like he had years of experience. He also felt that music had a great power. A power that soothed the pain, and brightens up your day. It could even explain things that ordinary words couldn't alone, and most importantly. "To some like me… music is the voice of the soul and can describe feelings and emotion."

Terra looked confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means that when I'm feeling happy… my music would sound something like this."

_**(Plays the Mr. Dress up theme)**_

Terra was liked the way that music sounded, and she even applauded softly when it was over. "And when I'm sad and lonely… It's like this…"

_**(Plays LONELY MAN from The Incredible Hulk)**_

Terra felt she could understand all that, because sometimes she liked to play music in her head whenever she was feeling down, or alone or…

…_Yes, even when she was remorse over what she did to Beast-Boy. _She still didn't tell anyone that though. She also didn't admit this… but she was starting to take a small liking to Garfield. He seemed to be a boy, who could understand her, and after all the things he did to help her boost her grades, and she was still looking for a way to repay him.

"Terra…?" Garfield asked. "This may sound embarrassing to ask but… why don't you really have a boyfriend?"

Terra almost winced up at that question and she blushed slightly. Even though she told Garfield why long ago, she was starting to think she, herself, didn't know why either. "I don't even think I'll ever have a boyfriend." she said, but Garfield thought that was ridiculous. "Oh, come on? What you plan to just graduate and then live you life behind shutters, and be just like…" he stopped a moment when he realized that Terra was more like him that he realized, but still. "Come on, Terra. I know you'll find a boyfriend one day. You have to. You're a real pretty girl."

Terra giggled, "I have never thought of myself as pretty before." she said, but Garfield took her by the arm and lead her over to the giant mirror that was on the other side of the room, stood her before it and gestured at her reflection "Pretty girl!"

Terra gazed at her reflection and blushed again. "You're crazy, you know that?" she joked. Garfield shook his head, "Now I'm not- I'm smart… and I know when I'm right."

The two of them just stood there admiring Terra's reflection, but their trance was suddenly broken by the sounds of sirens as fire-trucks and ambulances raced past the window, and some of the students who hadn't left the building yet were all chatting that there was a fire a few blocks down and that people were trapped.

Terra gasped in horror, but when she turned round, Garfield was gone. "Garfield…?"

…

Garfield had slipped out the window, and dashed to an alley. He hated having to do that to Terra, but he had a feeling he was going to be needed. So he quickly changed in the alley, where no on could see him…

…

Across town, a larger apartment building was on fire, and the five top-floors were really blazing. The firemen succeeding in getting most of the people outside safely, but there was one woman who was struggling to try and get past the. "I have to get in there, my baby's inside."

But the Fire Chief wouldn't let her go through, as the roof was going to blow. "No, you can't… I have to save my baby!" screamed the woman.

Suddenly, one of the witnesses looked up. "Hey! It's the Minimal." The Manimal was leaping along the rooftops and swinging with his lines into the danger zone. "SAVE MY BABY… PLEASE!" screamed the woman. Manimal nodded from up high, and swung into the burning building. His suit was like an animal shell, or skin, guarding him against the heat of the flames.

Even Terra and her friends had arrived on the scene down bellow. "What's going on?" Terra asked. The witnesses told her of what was going on, and that Manimal was up there. Jackie and Jillian saw this as their chance, and got their cell-phone cameras ready.

Suddenly…!

BOOM! The top of the building burst into huge flames as the roof fell in. "…No" cried the woman not wanting to believe it was over, but just at that moment, Manimal leapt out of the window, with the baby in his arms, and landed safely on the ground. _"It's okay, you're baby's fine."_ he said as he handed the woman her crying baby. "Oh, my baby." the woman cried. "Oh! Bless you, Manimal. Bless you."

Manimal nodded in thanks and then he leapt back up into the building, and using his new built-_in aqua-spray_ under one of his gloves, he began spraying water around,_ like a whale_, and put out the fire enough to get it under control.

The citizens down below began cheering. Manimal saved the day again and he stood on the top another building, with his cape fluttering in the wind. _"Take great care, Jump-City… you have no fear while I am around."_ then he was gone. The crowd kept on cheering and Terra, she was really amazed. "Wow! That guy's really amazing." she said to herself.

"Yeah he is." Jackie muttered. "And soon to be _less_ amazing." added Jillian. They both had snapped a lot of photos and already had some rotten ideas planned for Manimal. Whatever they were up to, it wasn't going to be pretty.


	13. The music club

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

The next day… was the last day before the city's hundredth birthday celebration festival, and the town was busy setting things up in the square where all the festivities would be held. Garfield was on his way to school, when he passed by the newsstands and saw the latest paper with the front page showing The Manimal… and what he read made his blood churn: _"The Manimal… Hero, or Menace?"_

"Menace…?" he muttered to himself. He picked up the paper to look at it more closely. The story explained of how he was at the fire yesterday, but local citizens were starting to believe that Manimal wasn't what he was all cracked up to be.

"Hey, kid. You going to buy paper or not?" asked the clerk.

Garfield suddenly snapped out of it, and then realized he was going to be late for school.

When he got there, he noticed that a lot of the students had a cut out copy of the story, and some even put it up all over the bulletin boards in the hallway. Garfield was most outraged, _but he had to keep his cool or he'd blow his cover._

When he got to his locker, Terra came up to him and showed him something. It was a sign up list to her music club. "What's this for?" he asked. Terra explained that she had figured to let Garfield join her music club, with Jackie and Jillian.

Garfield at first did think that was not a smart move, since it was obvious that Jackie and Jillian hated his guts, but Terra presented some good points. She and her group needed another member, preferable someone to play the piano or keyboard, and it would give him an opportunity to fit in and maybe get to know the girls so the hostility would end.

Despite still not being cool with it, yet unable to argue, Garfield signed his name, and which role he'd play; The Piano or keyboard. He also made sure to exclude himself on Fridays, as he had to head to the TV-Studio and do Mysterious Theater. Terra smiled and said "I know you'll just fit right in with us."

Garfield could only hope, "But what are Jackie and Jillian going to say?"

…

At lunch… Terra tried talking to her friends, and you can bet your grades on it, that they didn't like what was happening. "Over our dead bodies." Jackie sneered. "What does he think _he's _doing marching into our little She-She club anyway?" Jillian nodded. "What would he know about good music anyway? The geek."

Terra felt her blood boiling. "Jackie…! Jillian… You have no-right whatsoever to insult Garfield like that." she said strongly. "He has every right to be in the music club as we do."

Jackie and Jillian knew they were licked. There wasn't really any _"Girls-Only"_ rule, and the club did belong to the school so anyone who wanted to join was allowed by all means. They decided to give him a chance.

…

After school…

Garfield made it for his first meeting at the music club, and as he already seemed to be familiar and advanced with everything. So they skipped all the basics and allowed him and the girls to start playing. "Just one problem." Jackie said. "We still haven't _got _a song to play."

Garfield cleared his throat. "Ahem… excuse me, but we have." he said. He handed them a music sheets of a song he and Terra really wanted to go for. "Sweet Betsy From Pike?" Jackie said, looking disgusted. "Yeah right… there's no way we can play this."

Jackie and Jillian were more into rock and pop, but Garfield's preferred something different. It was a old Folk song, but he promised them, they way they were going to play it.

"This better be good." Jillian muttered.

They got their instruments ready, and Garfield set two of his keyboards, one to piano-mode, and the other to dark moon sound. This way the band didn't have to be worried about being short of instruments. "You girls ready?" Garfield asked.

The girls nodded, and so they began.

They began playing the song in a sort of soft mystical tune, instead of a folk tune. Garfield began to sing, and Terra was his backup voice.

…

Garfield then began playing a saxophone on one of his keyboards, as the song kept going. Then he and Terra began singing together.

…

The song faded out… and Jackie and Jillian were… well… they didn't know what they were feeling. It sure was different the way they had played that song, but they still didn't know if Garfield was all that Terra said he was.

"Okay… so we misjudged you a little." Jackie said deeply. "But next time, play something with…" she strummed an angry rock tune on her electric guitar. "… Bite back."

"Yeah…" Jillian added as she pounded on her drums. "Something with style."

Terra and Garfield looked at each other in confusion. "Well, I think it was pretty cool." Terra said. "Why should we only have to play one kind of music." Garfield felt glad that at least someone was on his side, but Jackie and Jillian were not amused, but they decided not to argue over it. Garfield leaned over. "Are they always this mean?" he whispered.

"Not really." she answered. "They're only in this club to try and get bigger in popularity." Garfield always had a sneaky suspicion that Jackie and Jillian were always like that. Not caring about much but their own popularity.

Still… at the end of the meeting, Garfield decided to stay in the club for a while longer, despite the fact that Jackie and Jillian were still being a little mean. At least Terra was being nice to him. He didn't tell anyone before, but he was actually coming to be quite fond of Terra. Even though she was only just one friend he could say that he had, that was good enough. One friend was always better than none.

…

Robin was reading the daily paper, and as expected, he cut out the column story about the people of the city starting to think less of The Manimal. The other titans didn't like how people were starting to berate The Manimal "Yo', man, he wasn't attackin' the city." said Cyborg, "That guy's actually startin' to make us look like weaklin's. No offense."

Robin knew Cyborg had a point. So far, the Titans were still having trouble rounding up the major villains in the city, but Manimal was able to save the day single-handedly. "If only we knew who he was, maybe we could talk to him."

"But how?" asked Raven. "Every time people get near him, he runs off."

"Yes..." added Starfire. "And he had also made it clear that he does not wish to be our friend, or join our team."

Robin didn't think Manimal was all that mean. "Maybe he's just too embarrassed." he said. "Or maybe he's got something to hide that he doesn't want anyone to know of." Still, whatever the reason. The only way they could find out, was to confront the Manimal and talk to him, "But, how…?" None of the Titans had a single idea.

In the meantime… They, too, were too preoccupied with the Jump-City birthday festival. The Titans, being the guests of honors, were personally invited, and they were planning go because in a big event and festivities, a great chance for a criminal to strike while the town was preoccupied, and maybe the Manimal would appear.

…

Later on… Jackie was over at Jillian's house, and the tow of those trouble-makers were up to their little scheme to try and get the Manimal into even more trouble. "It's bad enough this helmet-head hadn't been arrested yet, now Terra's starting to think he's incredible?" Jackie snarled.

"Chill out." said Jillian. "We just got to catch that freak in a few more acts and he'll be as good as through."

…

It was getting late, yet the Manimal was already patrolling the city. Leaping along the roofs, and swinging through by the buildings. _"Ahh… just lovely." _he said, _"All is peaceful and quiet. As it should be."_

Still, as he continued to patrol the city he couldn't help but wonder why he getting so good at this. Sure he was a hero now, but… for some strange reason he felt as if he had done this long before he became the Manimal.

This caused more images to appear in his head, and they were becoming clearer than ever. He wasn't sure, but he was starting to make out the shapes of those Teen Titans who were always bothering him, but what did this have to do with anything, and who was that person he saw that looked green…?

The images were still too blurry and confusing to make out. So, once again, they were ignored. Still, what were they? What were they trying to tell him?


	14. Unhappy Birthday, Jump City

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

The day of the festival had arrived, School was closed, and most workers had the day off. Yet, in has laboratory on the mountains, Von-Richter had been taking a break from working on the machine for some hot breakfast. "Ah… ten-o-clock." He said aloud. "I except zee Titans and Garfield must be at zee festival by now."

He then took a good look at the wonderful meal of eggs and ham, and buttered toast set before him. "Ahh…! You are good cook, Von-Richter." He complimented to himself. He was really going to enjoy his food, yet as he picked up his fork, his telephone rang, all the way in the next room. Von-Richter was most frustrated, "Oh… vhy does zee phone always ring vhen I'm about to eat?"

Nevertheless he got up from the table and proceeded into the next room, constantly reminding himself that he needed more phone extensions. "I must have some of zee most up-to-dated equipment 'ere in zee vorld… and yet not enough telephones. It's a conspiracy!"

It was Robin, calling from the city on a pay-phone, once again asking about updates on the machine, to which he still got the same answer- It would take some more time. Robin also asked if Von-Richter had Beast-Boy's green animal DNA with him, because he and the other Titans didn't. This made it quite clear that the DNA had been stolen from Titans tower while the Titans were out. "Oh, dear…!" cried Von-Richter. "This cannot be good."

…

As much as the Titans were really concerned about the theft of the DNA in the flask, they had no clue who would want to steal it, and why. Still, they couldn't go looking for it now, this was a time to party, and with so many people around there was bound to be trouble somewhere. So they just decided to lay low and have fun.

The center of town was just bustling with events and fun for everyone. Food stands with low prices. Stores were having sales and street displays. There were all sorts of floats and big balloons hanging in the air, and lots of things going on in the streets. Small balloons, bouncers, cakes, juice… all the things for little kids to enjoy too.

A lot of the people were hanging around the huge podium where some rock stars were doing some of their best performances, and a lot of little kids were on the other side of the streets in the fun zone.

There was even an auction at the auto-shop. All the vehicles that had been confiscated at the car-pound, but were never reclaimed or had their fines paid. They were now legalized to be sold to the highest bidder, including a _Tidwell-3000 moped _which was said to have previously belonged to a Teen Titan. Not only that, but it was faster than any motor-cycle, or ordinary car, and there wasn't many of them in the world.

Lots of teenagers and business-men bid their wallets off to try and get that thing, but in the end it was sold to someone for _"Twenty-thousand dollars!"_ and that someone was Garfield, who had not only earned his licence, but had saved up a lot of money fro his paychecks from work. This made everyone so envious of him.

Garfield couldn't help but want to take his sweet new ride out for a small spin. Yet, he couldn't feel that deep down he had seen this moped somewhere before. _It was because it was the very moped he owned as Beast-Boy._

He even knew how to charge the engines…

"Charging port-engine..." He said as the moped started to rev up. "Fifty… Seventy… Ninety… One-Ten… One-Thirty- One-hundred-fifty miles per hour- Fire-one!" He clicked the switch, and POW- the exhaust-flames burst through the tailpipes.

"Charging starboard..." As soon as the engine reached one-fifty, "Fire-two!" and Garfield fired the second set of flames. Now he was ready to drive as he slowly headed for the unblocked roads and then adjusted gears, "Full thrust forward! WHOA-!" He chuckled and laughed warmly as his new ride sped down the roads like a dream.

Soon he headed back to the festival, and couldn't wait to show this baby to Terra. He found Terra shopping with Jackie and Jillian at a clothing store. Some of the clothes featured the Teen Titans' faces on them, even Beast-Boy's face. Not many of the Beast-Boy T-shirts were bought, mainly due to the fact that Beast-Boy had been missing from the city for months, and many people had already quit caring.

Somebody did care, though- Terra. She finally decided that maybe she couldn't put Beast-Boy out of her mind, that didn't mean she had to act like she didn't care.

The Beast-Boy shirt actually looked nice on her, and while she gazed at her reflection in the fitting room, more happy memories flashed in her head, when she was a titan, Slade's apprentice, and yet all that time, Even though he once turned down on her for her betrayal, he was still the only most caring person who would ever forgive her and was willing to protect her.

She was snapped out of her trance with a knock at the door, and someone telling her she was hogging the change-room. So she left and caught up with her friends, who were most dismayed at the shirt she was wearing. "What does that Brat Boy have on you?" Jillian sneered.

Terra rolled her eyes, "His name is Beast-Boy." she corrected her, "And… I don't know… I… uh… just like the shirt."_ She was being careful not to let it slip that she herself was once a hero._

Jackie wouldn't hear anymore of this. She and Jillian decided that Terra needed to find a boyfriend… today, and they planned to take her back out into the city where there were tons of cute boys just waiting to get snared.

Terra was well aware of this, but still didn't think this was a good idea, but the girls wouldn't hear of it. They were going to get her a boyfriend even if it killed them. So they left the store, and the first thing that they saw…

"No way…!" cried Jackie.

"How'd that geek…?" added Jillian.

"Wow!" Terra exclaimed softly.

Garfield drove his moped alongside the curb, and teased "Any of you ladies like high-speed?"

Terra was most impressed, while the other girls were dismayed and shocked. Terra walked towards him and gazed at the moped all over. "Garfield… this is incredible." She said.

Garfield thanked her. He would've taken for a ride except he hadn't bought a spare helmet yet, the roads were still blocked and it was getting harder to get to the driving-zones… and Jackie and Jillian, sort of gave him _the look!_

Garfield rolled his eyes, and then he gazed at the picture on Terra's shirt. "When did you get that?" he asked. As Terra explained… Garfield began to feel funny again. That was Beast-Boy on that shirt that was the guy everyone had been referring him too and now he could see why…

"_That dude sort of looks like me."_ he thought to himself, and then more of those blurry images flashed in his mind. They were now even clearer than before, though still too dim to see perfectly, and the voices were louder now. He could swear that that Beast-Boy guy _sounded_ like him…!

The images faded again. "Ah…!" he groaned softly and held his aching forehead. "Are you okay?" Terra asked. Garfield decided maybe he would grab some lunch and then he'd feel better. "I'll see ya…" then he was gone.

Jackie signed "Whew… I thought that kid would never leave."

Terra narrowed her eyes, but then she decided to go and get some lunch herself, with the girls.

They decided to eat at one of the new places that had just opened and was five stories high. Jackie and Jillian were already eating on the fifth and top floor of a look out point, and Terra had just finished building up her tray of food, and joined her friends.

"Hey, what took you?" asked Jackie. "We thought that geek had come back.

"Or worse…" added Jillian, "You were attacked by that Manimal creep."

Terra really wished they would stop doing that. _"What is it going to take you two to realize that Garfield isn't a geek, and The Manimal's not a criminal?"_ she thought to herself.

Garfield was eating outside on the ground level. He could look up and see them from his table, and he knew whatever Jackie and Jillian were saying, it probably wasn't nice. Well, he knew someday he'd show those two little brats, and show them up for how shallow they were.

Another thing he couldn't understand was why he was thinking about Terra more and more. Sure he saw her everyday at school, he liked tutoring her, and… she was even doing nice things for him like the music club, _though he still thought it wasn't a good idea._

"_So why can't I stop thinking about her…?"_ he thought. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when he suddenly began to feel the ground rumbling softly under his feet. "Hmm…? What's happening?" he asked himself. The rumbling started to get worse as everyone started to feel it, and the whole city seemed to go silent.

As embarrassing as it would be, Garfield got down and pressed his ear against the ground. He listened carefully to the vibrations, calculated their volumes, and from what he had studied and researched from sound vibrations. "Ah…!" he gasped, and then shot straight up and tall and screamed with all his might. "STAMPEDE...!"

At once, everyone began to run from the hills in the most extreme panic just as… IT BEGAN…! A whole swarm of very large and _green animals_ came running through the streets, crushing everything in their path. Even the sides of the buildings got damaged.

The Titans, who saw the animals coming, could see that these were The exact same green animals that Beast Boy always changed into, only there were more than one of the same type; Elephants. Rhinos, Dinosaurs, and riding on two of them, "Gizmo and Mammoth?" snapped Cyborg. "I thought The Manimal locked those suckers up."

That didn't matter now. They were back, and now the town was in grave peril. "Titans, Go!" cried Robin. As the heroes began to dash down the streets, Gizmo blocked their way, seated atop a T-Rex. "What say, Teen Tykes!" he mocked. "How do you like our new toys?"

The Titans were not impressed, but then they all split up to deal with all the animals that were running about. It was quite obvious now they had captured Beast-Boy's animal DNA while they were out some nights ago, but how they were managing to summon and control so many at once was beyond them.

As the Titans dealt with the animals… Gizmo and Mammoth went around attacking other things. Mammoth picked up a police card and hurled over on a pile of tables and stands making a real big mess… while Gizmo headed straight for the building where Terra and her friends were.

The girls screamed in horror, "Hungry, girls?" mocked Gizmo Heh, heh, heh… here's a treat!" and he threw a bomb straight into the building.

"No!" Garfield cried.

BOOM!

The building began rocking about, and bits f rubble began to fall everywhere. Terra screamed as she fell off her feet and found herself stranded on a breaking fragment of the balcony over a huge drop down to the streets below. _She still had her powers to move Earth and rocks, but she didn't dare use them._

"Oh-my- GUYS HELP ME!" she screamed.

"_TERRA…!"_ cried the girls.

The Titans were far too distracted to notice, and no one could get close enough to help her, Garfield realized it was up to him. So he ran into a dark alley and changed outfits…!

"Terra, hang on!" cried Jackie, but she was knocked out cold by a falling rock. "Jackie...!" cried Jillian and then she was knocked out too.

While down below, The Titans were also not faring very well either. Robin got booted by a triceratops while Starfire and Raven got bashed by several flying animals, and Cyborg… just one elephant was too much for him. "They are too strong!" cried Starfire.

"We need help!" added Cyborg.

Terra looked over her shoulder and there Mammoth riding atop a pterodactyl "Hi, there!" he hissed. Terra screamed when Mammoth reached down to grab her.

"Look!" cried a young boy. "It's Manimal!"

Manimal came swinging in on his swinging-lines, and his feet collided right into Mammoth, knowing him off his bird, and sending him crashing down below. "Ow!" he groaned. "No really, that hurt."

Manimal then leapt down into the streets below to help the Titans. _"Get everyone out of here!"_ he said. _"I can handle this by myself."_

The Titans decided to trust him, and then began helping everyone escape.

Suddenly, the animals disappeared, and Gizmo dropped down. "You may have beaten us once, but that won't happen again!" he snapped. Manimal was suddenly confronted by all three members of the trio. "Give it up punk! We got you beat this time." growled Mammoth, but Manimal wasn't finished yet. What they had strength, he had in wit, as well as bigger strength.

So he leapt up high onto the floats, but suddenly he heard Terra scream from way behind him. _"Terra…!" _he cried.

"HELP…!" Terra screamed "…GET ME OUT OF HERE…!"

He decided it best to forget about the crooks and save her first before she fell over. So he leapt from float to float and nearly made it to her when he was attacked by another green pterodactyl and slammed hard into the window.

"No…!" Terra cried.

The crooks laughed, and they leapt over to finish the job, but since they weren't looking, _"Azarath, Metrione… ZINTHOS…!" _ Raven snatched them with her magic and caused them to fall.

"You're not going anywhere!" growled Robin. "TITANS… GO!"

Mammoth decided to stay below and release more animals to help in the fight, while Gizmo retreated back to the building to make sure Manimal was finished off. He stopped at the cracking balcony and began to shake it vigorously with his mechanical spider-legs. "No! Stop! Stop it!" cried Terra, but her screams and cries only made Gizmo go harder.

Suddenly, KAPOW! The pterodactyl was punched clean through the window and slammed right into Gizmo. "Ow! Get off me you overgrown turkey!" he growled.

Manimal looked down at Terra. _"Hold on, I'm coming!"_ he called.

Gizmo took care of the pterodactyl, and he was really looking steamed now. "Okay, Buddy… Get ready for the big guns!" he growled as he shifted his spider-legs to full power. He was about to press "Fire"… when Manimal used his ink-gun to spray Gizmo's goggles with black ink, blinding him long enough for Manimal to use the bull-horns on his helmet, and… BOOT! Gizmo's Machine was going haywire. "Let's get out of here!" he cried.

All the Animals were called back, except for two pterodactyls which carried the two crooks away. As they slipped off…"WE'LL MEET AGAIN, TITANS!" Gizmo screamed. "YOU TOO… MANIMAL!" called Mammoth

Well, that took care of them, but no sooner had they left, did Terra slip off and began plunging down below. _"TERRA…!"_ He leapt down after her and caught her just before she hit the hard ground, then he launched his swinging lines and began to swing off with the girl on his back. The crowd began cheering. The day was saved again, and this time, it was thanks to the Titans and Manimal. However, Robin asked Starfire to follow Manimal and see what he was going to do with that civilian. _"That girl he's carrying looks awful familiar."_ he thought to himself.

…

Manimal swung through the city with Terra on his back, unbeknownst to them that Starfire was watching them from behind and she saw them land on the rooftop of the building where Terra lived.

Terra hopped down and smiled. "Wow… what a ride." she giggled. _"Well… sure beats taking a moped or the bus."_ Manimal joked.

Satrfire could see the girl's face clearly now, and couldn't believe her eyes! "I must tell Robin." she cried and she flew off.

Manimal began to head off. "Wait!" Terra cried. He stopped and looked deeply into her eyes, but she couldn't see his behind his helmet visor "Who are you?" she asked.

"_You know who I am."_

"I- I do?"

"_I'm Manimal… and whenever you need me, I won't be far."_ Then he leapt off the edge of the building and began swinging his way through town. Terra couldn't stop looking at him until he was out of sight. "What a guy." she muttered, but then she wondered one other thing…

How did he know her name…?


	15. Growing pains and feelings

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

That night… The Titians had actually been up for quite a while trying to work out exactly what Starfire saw. She claimed that she had actually seen Manimal with a girl that looked just like Terra, and even sounded like her too. This made them all wonder if maybe Beast-Boy had been telling the truth, and Terra really _was_ back…!

The Titans went back to the caverns where Terra's statue was supposed to be, and they found exactly what Beast-Boy had seen. The statue- it was gone. There wasn't even any indication that it was cut away or disintegrated.

Still…This was not enough evidence to prove if the girl that Starfire saw with Manimal really was Terra, but the possibilities were growing immensely. All they were able to obtain was a tiny little thread of blonde-hair which was found on the sofa in Terra's old room.

Cyborg scanned it with his computer, "Well… my scanners match the hair with Terra's DNA." he said. "But I can't tell if it's the same hair as that girl you saw with Manimal."

Starfire sighed and then asked "Please… tell me… might there be some way to determine what we wish to know about the girl?" she asked.

There was one way, but it wasn't going to be easy. They would have to get a thread of the girl's hair and then compare it to the thread of hair they had, and match it with Terra's DNA… only then would they have positive answers. "In the meantime… we have to watch over the city in case of another attack." said Raven. She was referring to Gizmo, and Mammoth, and their new animal stampede. No to mention, keeping in mind that Slade was the one behind this whole plot.

Robin had been examining the evidence and facts he dished up for a while, but he had no clue as to what Slade could be up to with all this. One thing he did know, they had to get the green-DNA back.

Not only did it pose a great threat to the city while it was in the hands of Slade's forces, but without the serum, Beast-Boy would never be able to change back into his regular self again… that is… if he even wanted to.

Von-Richter was still working on the machine, and it had been a while since any of The Titans had seen Beast-Boy, and didn't know if he was still suffering from amnesia. Even so… they decided it best not to approach him, until they were certain the timing was right.

_The next day_…

School was back in session, and now, it was getting close to April, which meant it would be time for the springtime prom soon for all the graduating students, but still. No had any ideas of where to hold it, or even who would be going.

Terra wasn't sure if she'd be going, because as much as she had gotten her grades back up, thanks to Garfield's help, she still needed to pass all her final exams with high marks or she just wouldn't make it. Still, that didn't seem to bother her too much as she was much too preoccupied thinking about how incredible the Manimal was in saving her the other day.

When it came time for the music club, she and Garfield met up, but Jackie and Jillian called and said they'd be late coming. Garfield noticed Terra was miles away in her own thoughts. "Something on your mind?" he asked her. Terra snapped out of her trance and told him she was thinking about Manimal

Garfield smiled softly, _but not so much to give himself away._

Just then… in walked Jackie and Jillian, who had bandages on their heads from where the stones hit them, and no surprised, they were coming up with new stories ideas for the paper to make The Manimal look bad

_"Manimal Makes Mania."_ Jackie said.

_"The Manimal's animal's attack."_ said Jillian. "What do you guys think?"

Garfield and Terra couldn't believe this. "You guys… Manimal wasn't attacking the city." Garfield said. "He was just trying to help the Teen Titans out." Terra agreed. "That guy saved my life and both of yours." she said. "Besides, the animals were also attacking him… that must prove to you something."

Jackie and Jillian nodded. "You're right, it does." said Jackie. "It proves we were right all along."

"Yep." added Jillian. "Manimal was just using those crooks, and those animals to get attention so the city could try and see him as a hero again."

Garfield and Terra were really starting to get agitated by the girls' attitude. Worse than that, Jackie and Jillian scoffed at a song Garfield had written for the club. _"Rebel Girl…?"_ Jackie asked.

"Why? What's wrong with it?" Garfield asked. "It's got the kind of rock music you wanted."

"But that's It." said Jillian. "You made it, and we don't play music written by a nerd."

Garfield and Terra could tell that they were just looking for lame excuses when they knew that the only reason they didn't want to play it, was because Garfield wrote it, and what if he got all the attention. Once again, they were just trying to be popular and not giving a care about anything else. "We're not doing this and that's that!" snapped Jackie and she threw the music sheets into the garbage.

"Hey!" cried Garfield. He dove after his sheets, but sadly, they had ink and coffee drizzled all over them. "…My music!" he peeped. Terra had a look of blue-murder on her face as she stared at Jackie and Jillian unable to believe how cruel they had just been.

Garfield grasped the remains of his ruined sheets, and finally taking the hint, he ran angrily out of the room. "Garfield, wait…!" cried Terra, but he was already gone.

"Terra, don't bother." Jackie said.

"Don't bother…?" cried Terra "Don't you guys feel the least bit ashamed. He worked really hard on that song, and I even liked it."

Jackie and Jillian couldn't understand why Terra was defending him. "Look, we're better off without him." said Jackie. "As far as I care… that Brat-Boy didn't even belong here in the first place…"

_The more rude comments the girls made, the more Terra's anger boiled inside her._

"We don't need him coming in here, giving _us_ music he wrote, or questioning us about Manimal." Jillian said. "That geek…!"

Finally, they had gone too far, as Terra's anger was so intense, that she didn't care for once. She clenched her fists tightly, and her eyes glowed-yellow, and then… KAPOW! The floor erupted geyser, knocking Jackie and Jillian off their feet and getting all filthy and dusty in the mess.

The two girls shot out from the dust and debris "Pah! Aww, my hair!" whined Jackie.

"You think you got it tough…?" snapped Jillian. "It's going to take truckloads of make-up to fix me up."

Neither one of them knew just what happened…

…

Terra, feeling rather foolish that she had just used her powers, had quickly run from school. Thank goodness no one had really seen what she did. _"What was I thinking?"_ she thought to herself, but right now she felt she needed to talk to Garfield…

She found him sitting by the pond near the building he lived with his ruined music sheets in front the building where he lived. He looked pretty bummed as he sat there with a sour look on his face as he fed the ducks. She walked up to him "Garfield? You okay…?" Garfield turned around. "Yeah… I'll be okay." he said softly.

Terra sat down beside him and joined him feeding the ducks. She actually found it quite comforting. "This sure is relaxing." she said. Garfield nodded. "I come here and do this every night."

"Alone…?"

Garfield nodded and he looked over at his reflection on the water. He sighed, and threw a bread crumb at it causing the ducks to cover it up. "No matter how hard I try, I just can't get on anyone's good side." he replied. "Why does the world have to hate me so much?"

Terra wasn't so sure how to answer that… after all… people had been pretty rough on her too. Even Jackie and Jillian… They way they just acted; she was starting to feel maybe Garfield was right, and that they were nothing but a pair of bratty twits. "Sometimes… people just don't care about others." Terra said.

Garfield turned to face her…

"They just prefer to think what's best for them and not for others… and that those who are different, are too different to even deserve a chance."

Terra then noticed Garfield was staring at her in confusion, and so she didn't think it would hurt too much, _or blow her cover. _So she told him of how she spent a long time on her own. Roaming the streets and crashing in caves… feeding on whatever she could dish out…

In many ways she was like Garfield. Though now she had a lovely home and a grandmother figure… it didn't change the fact that she knew what it was like to be alone too.

Garfield never knew this side of Terra before. She really wasn't the student he first met her as anymore. Yet, deep down he could swear he heard this story before, _which caused more blurry images to flash in his head, and they became even clearer now…!_

_Now there was even a figure that looked and sounded like Terra… but what did that mean._

"Garfield…?" Terra asked, "Are you okay…?"

Garfield winced softly. "I'm okay." He answered. Then they suddenly ended up gazing at each other for a full minute, both of them feeling rather strange. They were suddenly snapped out of their trance by the sound of thunder. Clouds were coming in fast, and Terra decided maybe to head home before it rained. "Want me to give you a lift on my moped?" Garfield offered.

"No thanks. It's no that far. I can make it." Terra said, and she began to jog off. "See ya…"

Garfield his eye on her as she ran off, not caring at all as the rain started to fall and he was getting wet. He was really starting to have strong feelings for her. Stronger than what he felt last time. Maybe it was getting t be time if he should… maybe ask her out or something…?

His thoughts were interrupted when he was about to head inside, when he saw Terra being chased up the wet streets by a group of punks, and they looked like nothing but bad news. He quickly _leapt high_ up to his apartment to _change outfits._

Terra ran as fast as she could go, but the punks caught up to her. "Go away!" she cried. "Leave me alone!"

"Heh, heh… we love'em fiery!" one of the boys snickered. Terra really got scared, so scared that when she shut her eyes really tight, she caused the payment below the boy's feet to bash him, just like in the music room with Jackie and Jillian.

The boys got up and were really steamed. "Okay girlie. We tried to be nice. NOW YOU'RE GONNA GET IT!" they roared as they pulled out guns and switch-blade knives.

Terra screamed…! Then, suddenly, BAM! Manimal swung in on his line and bashed the boys away from her like bowling pins. _"Now that's what I call a perfect strike."_ he joked.

Terra smiled… and she watched him beat up the thugs. During the struggle, his helmet was knocked off and his face was revealed, but it was too dark and rainy for Terra to make out his face at all. Finally, the boys were all knocked out cold. Manimal quickly dashed into a dark alley. "No… Wait!" Terra cried as she followed into the alley, but to find he was gone.

She looked around then Manimal, with his helmet recovered. He dropped his cape, the let him catalogue himself into the darkness like a _lizard_, and caught her by surprise. _"My, my… you sure have a nag for getting in trouble."_

Terra giggled. "And you have a real nag for saving my life." she said. "I think I have yet another Superhero stalking me."

_"Ah, go on…!."_

Terra found herself staring directly at his dark visor which hid his eyes. "You are…" she paused. "…Incredible."

Manimal felt touched. _"Some people don't think so."_

"But you are." replied Terra. "… at least to me."

_"Sure is nice to know there's someone I can trust."_

Terra felt so touched, she just had to ask him. "Can I please say _"thank you"_ this time?" Manimal paused for a brief, really brief moment- should he do it or not? That was what he asked himself, and then he decided, _"It'll be our little secret."_

Terra smiled and she raised her hand to pull of his helmet. _"Wait."_ Manimal said quickly. _"I'll do it."_ He gently raised his hand up to his helmet and brought it up high enough so that only his lips and nose were visible. Then he gently took Terra into his arms, and Terra softly placed her lips over his in a soft and warm embrace.

Manimal felt very strange, not only was this his first ever kiss… but his mind was going crazy with yet more blurry images, only now the voices were clearer.

_He could see two figures at an amusement park… on a ferries wheel, and about to make lip contact._ _One of their voices was defiantly Terra's and another was his._

_"If you knew something back about me. I mean no matter how horrible it was you'd still like me right."_

_"Yes… I promise Terra. No matter what."_

But it faded quickly… and then, Manimal replaced his helmet, and took off into the night on his grappling lines shouting, _"YEE-HAA!" _Terra, all soaked from the rain just kept staring up at the dark sky with a smile of deep feelings on her face.

**_…_**

In beast Boy's room, Copy-Cat smiled. "Your first kiss with Terra…" he said. "And yet she never knew it was you."

Beast Boy blushed and shook his head. "Nope, that's just the way it was." he said. "I knew then and there that I defiantly had the hots for her… but little did I realize that my feelings were about to cause me even more trouble!"


	16. When Heroes Collide!

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

The next day, things hadn't gotten as good as Garfield hoped for. As he walked to school, he passed the newsstand and could see that he was going to be in big trouble now as the latest headlines read: _"Citizens call for Manimal's Arrest"_

"_WANTED: Cash reward for the capture of Manimal."_

Worse than that, some people who were reading the paper, or heard the news were starting to agree with Jackie and Jillian, and badmouth Manimal, making it really hard for Garfield to keep himself from snapping. Even the kids at school were starting to hate Manimal's guts. Garfield realized that he'd have to be extra careful when he went out on patrol, as the police were out there looking for him.

…

In Slade's secret hideout- Gizmo and Mammoth were trying to work up new plans after since they were foiled the last time. "This Manimal guy's got more nerves than those Titans." Mammoth said. "There's got to be some way to flush him out of hiding."

"Yeah, only one problem." snapped Gizmo. "If we try that, even with these new animals we got, the Teen Titans will show up and make a mess of everything."

"There _is_ a way…" Slade hissed. He was already well into a plot to have the Manimal set up into a perfect open space. The Titans too… If all went according to plan, the heroes would be rendered weak enough for them to conquer. "But remember… don't either of you make a move until I give the word. Is that understood?"

The crooks nodded in agreement.

…

It wasn't long before the papers were restacked with a new front page, _"Teen Titans Challenges Manimal!"_ It was a story saying that Teen Titans had challenged the Manimal to a duel at the Jump-City Bridge, 6 pm, Thursday night.

However… the Titans were given a different paper. It was roughly the same story except it read. _"Manimal Challenges Titans."_

"Thursday night?" Robin said. "But that's _tonight."_ The other Titans weren't so sure if they should take the challenge. "Why would the guy want to challenge us to a duel?" Cyborg wondered.

"Perhaps he is not really our ally." Satrfire suggested. "Perhaps beneath his suit, he is in fact some horrifying creature in disguise that is waiting to eat the entire townspeople alive?"

The other Titans raised their eyebrows. "Uh… not likely." said Raven. "But still… we have to decide whether or not to accept his challenge." They all thought it over, and they decided to take the challenge. "It may be our only chance to confront him, and find out what he's really like." Robin said. "We're going."

The other Titans agreed.

…

At lunch…

Terra didn't bother to sit with Jackie and Jillian at their usual table at lunchtime. She had read the headlines in the paper, and even though they claimed not to be responsible for post the gossip up, she still was mad at them for starting the whole thing. So she sat with Garfield, who also seemed pretty disturbed about the paper. "I think those two have really lost their marbles." he said.

Terra actually agreed with him. "The Manimal has enough problems already. He doesn't need this." Then she told him of how he helped her out last night, and how she actually kissed him!

_Garfield _pretended _that he was amazed by all this…_

"He really is amazing." replied Terra. Garfield smiled. "He sure is." he said. "Sometimes… I wonder what he's really thinking. Like, what does he really want in life?" Terra wondered that too. "I just hope the fight really doesn't go on tonight." she said. "I can't believe the Titans would challenge him like this, and after everything he's done to help them protect the city."

She asked Garfield if he was going to be there to watch the fight… but Garfield said that he had too much to do that night- Homework and more extra credit assignments. Only a few more and he'd have almost everything he needed to graduate sooner than he thought. "I'll just catch it on live TV." _He had to lie to her on that… he was going, but not to watch the fight._

Garfield was also curious about something else. "What happened in the music room yesterday anyway?"

He had only just heard of the large crater that was blown in the floor, which closed the music-room, and canceled the music-club, but it didn't make sense, even to Garfield. "It just doesn't make any sense." he said as he went over his notes. "The ground there is far too solid for it to just suddenly erupt and blow like that."

This made Terra nervous. She couldn't let him know she had powers…!

…

She felt even more nervous about it when she got home that night, but the harder she tried not to think of it, the more it tormented her. It was like a warning of some kind, maybe even a message to her.

The message she'd be arguing with for half a year now… as if her mind and body weren't to pleased with the way she was acting with herself, and trying to live a normal life; a lie!

It was now getting harder and harder to silence those voices in her head, and fight the urge. She tried so hard it was hurting her inside. If something would just give her a sign… an open road to what she should do?

…

Meanwhile…

Garfield was finding it hard to concentrate on his homework. He felt so mixed up that he couldn't think straight. In just a few short hours he'd be in for the battle of his life. He'd be facing the Teen Titans on the bridge. Half the town would be watching him on TV, or live, and if not, then everyone!

He also couldn't shake off this feeling that something didn't seem right. The Titans were heroes and they never challenged anyone in their life to a battle like this, unless forced to do so. "Whatever's going on, I've got to find out what it is." he said to himself.

Soon, it started to get dark and almost time for him to head to the bridge. He ducked into his hiding place, and changed his outfits. "All right Teen Titans…" he said as he slipped his helmet on. _"I may not know what's going on… but whatever it is you have against me will end tonight."_

And with that… he was off.

…

A lot of people were already gathered at he bridge, and the police were there to keep the crowds away from the battle zone… _they were also secretly planning to capture Manimal if he lost the fight._ Even, Terra was there in the front of the crowd with Heidi, she was hoping that Manimal wouldn't lose the fight. "Don't worry dear… I'm sure he'll be just fine." said Heidi.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Look…! Here come the Titans."

The Titans all landed on top of the tall bridge steeples. "Well, at least we got a good fan crowd here." said Cyborg.

"And look who's coming…" Raven said. That's when Manimal swung in and landed on the other side of steeple. The crowd hushed up as it seemed the battle about to begin.

The Titans and Manimal just stood on opposite sides of the steeple staring each other down like cowboys ready to draw their guns. "So, you came." Robin said.

"_Yes… as was agreed."_ Manimal said. A cold wind began to stir up blowing on all their capes' and Starfire's long hair.

_**(Music Cue)**_

Jackie and Jillian had just found Terra in the crowd. "Is the battle over yet?" Jackie asked. "No… they're just starting." Terra answered.

"Good." Jillian sneered "I want to see Manimal's downfall with my own eyes."

"So do I." added Jackie.

Terra gritted her teeth, but she had no time to worry about them. The battle had begun and the Titans were all ambushing Manimal at once, but it didn't seem to do much.

And then… IT BEGAN…!

Though it was four against one, Manimal really proved to be quite the tough guy, and managed to attack the Titans with his skills, and gadgets while the Titans had a hard time lading a single shot, or hit. Jackie and Jillian couldn't believe this. "Come on…!" growled Jackie "Get him already!" added Jillian.

The fight continued, and neither side was ready to give up yet.

"Yeah, he's tearing through those Titans like they're made of paper." added Jillian.

The Titans tried attacking him from all ends at once, but smart as he was swift, Manimal managed to escape without much harm, and he even pulled one of his own tricks. Using his grapple hooks to lasso two Titans on each line and CRASH those into the others… right into a pile.

"_Titans… I advise you to give up."_ Manimal called. _"This fighting is proving senseless. You will not win."_

…

Gizmo and Mammoth were hiding on a boat far from the bridge, and using a portable TV to view the action from he live news. After a while of watching, both the Titans and Manimal seemed to be getting tired and Mammoth was growing irritable with all the waiting. "Aw, come on…can't we go beat these guys already?"

"Stay put!" snapped Gizmo, "We wait for the signal form Slade." And that's when a green light on his controller began to flash. "There is it. Let's go!"

…

The Titans regrouped and huddled together, while Manimal patiently paced back and forth waiting for the fight to resume.

"Yo', exactly where did we lose our control?" Cyborg asked. Raven peeled off some sticky goop off her mouth Manimal fired to stop her from reciting her spell. "We can't let him get to us." she said.

"Raven's right." said Robin, and he turned angrily towards Manimal. "He's bound to have some weaknesses!" Manimal turned fiercely towards the Titans at the sound of that remark!

They all charged at each other again. Manimal caught Cyborg's fist and tossed him back over his shoulder. He dodged Starfire as she flew right at him and she crashed into the cables spring launching herself into Raven. "My deepest apologies to you, Raven." Starfire cried, but Raven just lay there… _with stars around her head and her tongue sticking out._

Robin was the only one who actually got close enough to engage with Manimal in combat

Punches, chops, and kicks… Robin threw his disc-bombs, which Manimal counters with his explosive porcupine-quills. Robin then collided into Manimal and the two engaged in a fist lock. Manimal had the upper-hand with his gorilla strength.

"Enough of this…!" Robin growled as the fist lock continued. "Why did you challenge us like this?" Manimal looked confused, and let go of Robin's arms. _"What are you talking about? You were the ones who challenged me to this duel."_

Now all the Titans were confused, and their stalling made the crowds get angry. They taunted and hooted for the fight to go on, but the fighters didn't make a move. "Come on! What's happening…?" Jackie growled "Fight already…!" added Jillian.

The only people who seemed to be relieved were Terra and Heidi. The fight had gone on long enough, and it seemed Terra's hunches were right. The Titans and Manimal had also just realized that they had been set up. "What I'd like to know is, why, and by whom?" asked Robin.

Suddenly, the ground began to rumble, and everyone in the crowd began to rumble just like before at the street party. _"Oh no… Not again!" _cried Manimal.

A whole swarm of large green animals lead by Gizmo and Mammoth were coming straight at everyone from the other end of the bridge! The crowd began to run amuck in panic, and the police, now convinced that Manimal was not a criminal, ran in to join the heroes and aid them.

"So it was you creeps who set us up like this, and Slade!" snarled Robin.

"Duh… Ya' think?" snapped Gizmo. "You guys are so gullible… it sickens me."

"Let's get'em!" Mammoth shouted. The attack began, and the animals began charging. "TITANS, GO!" cried Robin, and they all rushed into action. There was only one problem… The Titans had been fighting Manimal for quite a while that they had used up a lot of their strength and energy, and had hardly any battle left in them at all.

Robin and Cyborg went after Gizmo, but Gizmo just summoned up a Green Brontosaurus, and made it give them both a huge tail whip. WHACK!

Raven and Starfire went after Gizmo, but Starfire couldn't seem to fire her star bolts fast enough, and Raven couldn't summon up a big enough energy waves, which let Gizmo send a pack of lions after them. "Ha, ha, ha…! You Titans are easier to beat than stealing candy from a baby." he mocked, but he suddenly got whacked form behind by The Manimal. _"Don't you know it's wrong to take candy babies?"_ Manimal growled.

Suddenly, he was confronted by Mammoth, and his green gorillas, and green elephants. "Don't you know when to go down already?" he mocked.

The Titans and Manimal were losing badly, even with the police aiding them, they still didn't fair so well. Jackie and Jillian were even more horrified to find out that this was mostly their fault. They pitted the city against Manimal, and therefore had to take most of the fault. Terra, on the other hand couldn't bare this anymore. Finally she decided, "It's risky… but I can't just stand here and watch this." and at that she broke free from the crowd and began running past the crowd controls.

"TERRA!" cried Jackie and Jillian.

"CHILD… NO!" cried Heidi.

The police had assembled their strongest weapons and stood in formation. "Attention!" the chief called to the crooks, "This is your only chance! Leave this bridge at once, or we shall be forced to use extreme measures." but the duo didn't bother, and just ordered a gaggle of crazed green monkeys to attack, and even the police were rendered defenseless. "Heh-ha…! Whimps!" Gizmo chuckled.

The fight kept on going, and by this point the Titans really seemed tired, so was Manimal. All of them were weak, but not ready to quit yet. Still… they had no idea of what to do. The crooks and their animals all slowly proceeded towards the defenseless heroes. "Heh…! That was far too easy." Mammoth chuckled. "Now which of these suckers do we crush first?"

"All of them!" Gizmo sniggered. They charged forward towards them, but before they could attack, they were bombarded by boulders and bricks from the bridge. All the green animals were even blocked by thick stone walls that bust from the ground. "Hey!"

"What the-?"

Manimal and the Titans looked up and they saw Terra. The crooks saw the girl and couldn't believe it. "Hey. Didn't Slade used to have that chick as his apprentice?" asked Mammoth. "Never mind, that!" snarled Gizmo. "Let's get her!" Terra just stood there, and tried to use her powers again, but because she hadn't used them in so long, her powers were out of focus, and didn't work this time. "Oh, no!" she cried. "It's not working."

Manimal looked up and saw the crooks charging towards her. _"Oh, no… Terra!"_ he cried. Gizmo powered-up his spider-leg lasers, and Mammoth pulled out his new bazooka, and poor Terra realized she was backed into a corner with no where to run.

"Ready…Aim…"

"_NO…!"_ cried Manimal.

"…FIRE!"

_**(Dramatic Slow-motion)**_

The blasts flew straight towards the defenseless girl, and just as they were about to crash into her, Manimal dramatically leapt in and shoved her out of the way… and…

_**(Regular speed)**_

KAPOW! _"WHOA- ARGH…!" _He got hit hard instead in a huge explosion, which also knocked him, the crooks, and Terra flat onto the ground.

The Titans all looked up. "Oh dear!" cried Starfire.

"Whoa!" added Cyborg.

Raven and Robin gasped hard when they saw that Manimal got hit hard. He was alive, but barley as he struggled to get up. His suit looked very badly damaged- His cape was all tattered, his gadgets were all bent and squashed, and worst of all… the blast had broken the visor on his helmet revealing his eyes and parts of his short brown hair! Terra, shakily got up and brushed the dust from her hair, but then her eyes met Manimal's eyes, and she immediately recognized them. "Garfield?" she asked in shock.

"Garfield…?" added Jackie and Jillian.

Manimal shakily got on his feet, panting heavily and sorely and then pulled off his helmet… revealing the face of _Garfield Logan. _"Yo'! It's Beast Boy." Cried Cyborg.

"We should've known." added Robin.

The police came too and arrested the terrible the crooks who were still knocked out cold from the blast… but Garfield had decided he had had enough! And he began to stomp angrily away. "Garfield… WAIT!" shouted Terra as she jogged to catch up with him.

Garfield just kept on going, until Jackie and Jillian confronted him at the end of the bridge. "Garfield! What the heck's going on here?" snapped Jackie.

"You're the Manimal…?" added Jillian. Garfield said nothing to the girls, not until Terra caught up with them. "Garfield…?" she still couldn't believe this was true. Garfield looked at her. "I wanted to tell you Terra, but I couldn't." he said. Then he turned back to face Jackie and Jillian, "Especially, not with _these-two trouble makers_ around."

Jackie and Jillian's jaws dropped the way he insulted them, but Garfield continued to bully and badger them that cold common fact was _they_ were the ones responsible for all this. Ever since they started turning the city against him, now the bridge was in a mess, the city was in danger, and the titans were almost too tired to fight back.

Worse than that, they exposed his identity. "People are getting hurt, and the city is in danger all because you two are shallow-flakes who don't care about anyone but themselves! How much is enough for you-two? How many people do you have to bully and hurt until you're satisfied?"

Jackie and Jillian didn't say anything for the first time. They finally realized how bad their shenanigans had made things. However, "Well… it looks like you-two are going to get what you want after all." Garfield said, and he threw his helmet down hard which made the crowd gasp. "I quit!" and he walked away sadly.

Terra picked up the damaged helmet, tears began to form in her eyes. "Garfield…" she sobbed softly. The Titans were also in deep shock. This was indeed a very dark day.

…

In his bedroom…

Beast Boy shook his head in shame. "It was one of the biggest upsetting and shames of my life." he said. "…Unloved, unappreciated, and unwanted… and as I was as usual… unhappy."

"Beast Boy..." Copy-Cat said softly. "I never had realized you would do anything of the sort."

"Tell me about it." Beast Boy replied. "With my super-hero days behind me, again- All I could do was surrender to my despair, and accept what I had…"

"…Nothing!"


	17. What do I do?

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

The next week, the entire town was still in deep shame that Manimal had quit, at least the news reporters were kind enough not to post up his identity as Garfield Logan, so as not to cause more calamity, but it didn't change much.

Garfield just went back to his being all alone, and feeling unappreciated. Even his earning straight-A's at school didn't perk him up. Even though a lot of the kids at school stopped picking on him, he was just lost in his own thoughts_. "Being myself didn't work. Being a superhero didn't work…"_ He sighed heavily as he walked down the streets to work after school. _"I guess I just wasn't meant for happiness."_

Jackie and Jillian were also suspended from school for their flagrant acts of terrorism towards Garfield, as both a student and a hero. Not to mention their poor conduct and endangering the town gave the school a bad look.

Terra didn't even care, or bother to stick out for them. She also told them she didn't care to ever see or hear from them again. _"Garfield was right about you-two. You both are as shallow as puddles!"_

…

The Titans were just as ashamed of everyone else in town. Only they were even more upset to find out that it was Beast Boy that they were fighting all along, and now because of the way things went… he had abandoned the hero's life, again!

"I feel ever so bad for our friend." said Starfire. "He had not the deserving of such a cruel and unnecessary punishment." Raven actually agreed with her. "But it's not all our fault." she said. "We were set up by those creeps. Besides… he was the one who jumped in the way to protect that girl from the blast."

Robin and Cyborg came into the lounge.

They had been running tests on the girl from Cyborg's scanning, and from the thread of the girl's hair they found from where she fell on the bridge. "It's _her_ all right." he said. He showed them all his test results… The hair they had found was the same as Terra's hair exactly. Cyborg even compared a picture of both girls he snapped with his red-eye camera. The results: _"Same Human."_

And in addition to all that evidence, they all had caught a glimpse of her using Terra's old powers of moving rocks and Earth. So it was final… that girl really was Terra. Beast really had been telling the truth since they all returned home from fighting the brotherhood of evil.

Still, one thing that puzzled them, apart from her not bothering got come back to the team, was how did she come back to life after being turned to stone.

The nearest anyone could think of was Raven; after she destroyed Trigon and her magic caused all the statues to return to normal. Terra should've returned too, they just never saw it happen as she was below in caverns, and after Trigon was gone they ran off to fight The Brotherhood of Evil. So Raven could only assume that none of her spells worked.

Nevertheless, there was still more to worry about. Not just Beats-Boy and Terra. Reports had come in that week that Gizmo and Mammoth got out of jail again. Obviously, it was Slade. There would be no more stalling. The Titans had to figure out a way to force Slade into the open, and get him once and for all.

The only problem was how? What was Slade really after? What was he hoping to gain?

…

One late Friday afternoon… a light thunderstorm had broken out. At the Jump-City mega-mall it was a little dark inside, and the lighting made things no better for some of the shoppers who were down in the dumps…like Terra.

She was hanging out at the mall, all by herself. She also was having a pretty bad day. True, the news didn't print an article about her powers, but the kids at school knew about it from eyewitnesses who went to the fight that night, and were scared of her. This made her even more unpopular and more alone than ever. She was also still upset that Garfield had quit being a hero, and after he worked so hard to try and earn the city's respect.

She looked inside her backpack at Garfield's broken battle helmet, and that hurt her even more. "I wish there was something I could do for him." she said to herself.

It was big for Terra to find out that a hero she actually liked, and kissed, was really her schoolmate, but not just any schoolmate. Terra didn't want to admit it out loud, but she kept it to herself that she was starting to actually like Garfield… and maybe, even more than just a friend. Almost the same way she liked Beast-Boy once.

Suddenly, she looked up from where she was sitting and could see a lot of cameramen up ahead with all their equipment. Then she remembered that Garfield and the TV crew were performing a live episode of Mysterious Theater in the mall.

Garfield really looked like he was in the gloomy mood, even before the show started, and in this episode, he and his crew were filming around all the gloomy people in the mall who wrote in to be on the show. All through it, their short gloomy stories, and almost all of them were teens whose girlfriend or boyfriend just dumped them. A couple of them even got dumped and were fired from heir jobs. all while at the same time a song called "I want to know what love is" played int he background.

Terra thought that song was really painful, so painful she didn't realize a couple of tears rolling down her cheeks. The lights all went out, and the ominous music was playing and Garfield was wrapping things up. "And so ends another episode of, Mysterious Theater. This is Garfield Logan saying; until next time…" he paused. "…If there ever _is_ a next time." The thunder and lighting from the storm crashed.

"And we're out." said Bob. "As always, great work kid."

Garfield removed his bathrobe, revealing his regular clothes underneath. He collected his pay, and decided to just chill out at the mall until the storm ended. So he just got himself a salad and a soda, and began doing his homework while sitting alone in the food court… _where Terra was watching from._ She saw how upset he looked. In fact, the place he was sitting was so dark and gloomy, that his head seemed to be bathed in a shadow… indicating he was really lost in his bitterness.

…She decided that right now, they could both really use a friend. "Uh… Garfield?" Garfield looked up. "Oh… hey, Terra." he said soft and grimly. Terra sat down. "I thought you might want _this_ back." she said holding out his damaged helmet. Garfield just shook his head. "Oh, that's okay… you can keep it, I don't really need anymore." he said sadly. "All it does is bring remind me of my failed attempt to earn appreciation." He sighed softly. "They may as well do me a favor and… put me out of my misery.

It hurt Terra to hear him say that, but she knew how he felt, in a way.

"By the way… Where did you learn to move rocks like that?" he asked her about her powers.

Terra knew she was licked there and decided to tell him everything! How she had powers, and that she was once a Teen Titan, had a little romance with Beast-Boy. All she did with Slade, turning to stone, and now here she was. Trying to live a normal life just to try and forget her past.

Garfield not only felt shocked to hear such a thing, but it caused more flashbacks in his mind, everything exactly as she told him… like it had happened to him once before?

He snapped himself out of, and said, "No offense Terra, but that does sound pretty selfish."

Terra knew he was going to say that, and she actually agreed with him. She didn't like it anymore either and she couldn't get it out of her mind. "Now it's… too late." She said trying not to cry. "Beast-Boy's gone… and I don't know if he'll ever be back, and it's my fault!"

Garfield began to realize if maybe Terra was really hung up on this Beast-Boy guy, and that maybe it would blow any chances he had of being with her like he still wanted, but here he was thinking about himself when Terra seemed to be just as down as he was.

This gave him an idea. One that would maybe perk up both their spirits, and maybe help the town see greatness in them again…!

He had earlier that day asked his boss, Bob if he could have a raise in his pay check since he worked hard and good. Bob told Garfield he did indeed deserve a raise, but unfortunately the TV ratings still needed to go up by a little more to pay that kind of money, but he also told Garfield… _"If you can figure out something that may get us more ratings, and it works… then you'll get your raise and maybe even more."_

Garfield quickly gathered his stuff and almost sprinted away, but he stopped for just a moment. "Thanks, Terra." he pecked her on the cheek and was gone. Terra blushed. _"He kissed me."_ she thought warmly to herself.

She also wondered what it was Garfield had in mind. Whatever it was it had to be big."


	18. Showtime

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

It was almost May, and still, none of the students had any idea where they could hold the springtime dance. Many suggestions were made, but all were dismissed either due to the number of students attending, or the straining of the school's budget to organize the dance.

Garfield and Terra, however, were already busy making Garfield's plan for a raise come true. Not to mention, help Terra become popular. What happened was, the Studio where Garfield worked also dealt with _music videos_, and they had been searching for new songs and stuff for weeks. Garfield decided to take the job, but only if Terra would work by his side. Terra immediately jumped into it. She always wanted to make music videos. So Bob hired her, and entitled her the same amount as Garfield earned.

Then, for the rest of the week, Garfield and Terra met at the garage near the building where Garfield lived, and began putting together a song, and the decided to do Garfield's song… _"Rebel Girl"_

Since there was only two of them in the whole band…Garfield decided to use his piano-skills, and make recordings of different instruments on electric-keyboards record it all one tape. The song was all recorded over the next week and Terra had even combined her base-guitar with the music Garfield had played.

The performance would be filmed at night, outside Garfield's apartment. So Bob got a permit form the city, which would allow them to disturb the peace and not get into trouble with the law. Especially seeing as how the police were going to be involved in the song anyway…

Garfield also told his neighbours, and people who were close enough to hear the music, what was going to happen. A lot of his neighbours asked to be in the video, and those who didn't made sure they had their earplugs in when they went to bed.

Terra was so excited. She couldn't wait for the tapping on Friday night; the only problem was she had nothing suitable to wear. If she was going to be in the song as a _Rebel Girl_ then she would need something that made her look wicked. She even asked Heidi for advice… "I'm not sure I'll look to good." she said. "I know Garfield's counting on me, and I-"

"Now, now, dear…" The old lady said. "He is _counting on you_, but all he really is counting on is for you to _be there_. I'm sure that whatever you find will be just perfect to him."

Terra knew she had a point. Garfield wasn't shallow like others. He respected everyone, no matter what they wore. Even if it was repulsive and disgusting. _"Everyone needs to wear something, and there's nothing entirely wrong with that."_

Terra was finding herself becoming closer, and closer to Garfield as much as she once loved Beast-Boy. He was kind, gentle, and he even had great tastes, and was also the hero who saved her life several times. She stared out of her bedroom window, stared off into space, and sighed warmly to herself. "If only I could show him."

It was really amazing the way she was trying to juggle her feelings for Beast-Boy and Garfield.

…

Friday night…

Garfield had finished another program of Mysterious Theater, and the TV crew had gone to the building where he lived, and set up everything. This got the neighbours really excited.

Once it was dark enough, and everything was set up; all that was left was to wait for the stars of the show, and Terra had phoned Garfield saying she was already on her way. Sadly, she also said that she still had no luck finding anything good enough to wear. "Hey, don't worry about it." Garfield said. "Just come over, I got something for you."

Terra made it to Garfield's apartment. "Hey!" she called out. "Whoa! You look cool in that." she complimented him on his clothes. Garfield was wearing a black leather jacket over a white T-shirt, a golden chain around his neck. Sunglasses over his eyes, blue jeans, and white sneakers "I got to say, I look pretty like money in this get-up." he said.

He also noticed Terra was still wearing her school uniform, without her tie, but like he promised, and he handed her a yellow box tied with a blue bow on it. Terra giggled. "What is this?"

"For you..." Garfield said. "I heard you said you couldn't find anything, and well… when I passed this I just kept thinking about you."

Terra opened the present and she couldn't believe it at all. _This was an exact copy of her old outfit she wore during her days with the Titans… _Brown hiking boots with matching gloves and a belt. Short yellow pants… goggles, and a black shirt with a _T'_ for Terra in the middle.

Despite all the memories it brought back to her, Terra thought it was very kind and thoughtful for him to get her such a gift…

_Garfield did not tell her however, that when he saw it and thought of her… it brought on more images into his head. The picture was trying to become clear but he still couldn't make it out._

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he asked playfully. "I didn't buy you a cool outfit just so you could look at it."

Terra went into the bedroom to changed, and Garfield couldn't stop commenting how cool she looked. The moments were broken when Bob came in "Come on, kid, it's Showtime." he said.

Terra and Garfield nodded and everyone took their places.

…

The Titans were all tired with frustration. It had been almost two weeks since the duel at the bridge, and Gizmo and Mammoth hadn't made a move since they escaped from jail. Robin had been trying to figure out where Slade's new hideout was for a while, but so far he had no leads to that.

That was the main problem one. Main problem two consisted of Beast Boy, and Terra. Beast-Boy was still known to have amnesia. The explanations around Terra's distance with the Titans were still in question, and Von Richter called and said the machine would be fully operational in just a few more weeks, which was a good thing, but even if there was a way to get Beast Boy to remember who he was, and get him to come back to the Titans, Slade and his minions still had his green DNA. There was no way he could change back without it.

Right now, the Titans were all just hanging in the lounge on a break from all the frustration. Raven was buried in her book, Cyborg making a snack, Starfire slumped down on the sofa missing Beast Boy, and thinking back to all the good times, and Robin was channel surfing. His mind was so wrapped up in his own thoughts, that he didn't realize he had made five complete surfs around all the channels. Raven did notice however, from all the static sounds. "If you keep that up, you'll break the remote." she said.

Robin pulled himself together, and just put the remote down. "I just wish I knew what to do." he said. "So much is happening, and it's almost as if we're powerless to make anything happen." Starfire put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Do not think that way…!" she said. "We have been faced with very gravest of challenges before, and we have never failed yet."

"Girl's got a point." said Cyborg as he sat down with his sandwich and soda. "We'll figure this out somehow. We'll get the kids back, and make those slime-balls pay through the nose."

Robin knew they were right. The best thing for them to do was not give up. Suddenly, strong rock music came from the TV, and when the Titans looked up, they saw Garfield in his home lying in bed, dressed as a punk rebel. "O-kay… really not what I needed to see." groaned Raven, but she suddenyl changed her mind when the song started.

It was a punk rock song called "Rebel Girl" and it was about Beast Boy being disturbed in the night by a punk girl dancing and singing outside his window, evetually being arested by the police while they and the whole neighborhood sang the last verse

The song faded out, and the Titans… they all had their jaws hanging wide open. Finally Cyborg broke the salience. "I have seen some pretty mean things in my days… but MAN THAT WAS AWE-SOME!"

Starfire giggled. "That was truly… What s your Earth phrase… _Out of this world…!"_

Robin nodded. "That was amazing."

Even Raven complimented with. "Not awful. Not awful."

…

Bob reported that the Ratings were sky rocketing. "You were awesome kids. They loved you both."

Terra and Garfield smiled.

Bob did indeed give Garfield his pay check, which was worth at least _five times_ more than what he used to earn. Terra was amazed herself too when she got her paycheck, not only was it her very first, it the largest sum of money she ever had seen before. All she ever earned was no more than ten dollars a week for doing her chores.

"This is incredible." Terra said. "Garfield, thanks a lot." Garfield smiled but shook his head. "Terra, I wasn't the one who did this. You should be thanking yourself just as much."

Now Terra was the one who shook her head. "No… you gave me the chance where no one else would." she said. "Garfield, I really owe you this time. There's got to be something I can do to thank you."

Now that Garfield thought about it he realized this was his big chance to make a move. "Well, there is something, but… No, no, you wouldn't be interested."

"No, no… I mean it, just tell me." Terra said.

This was it! Now or never!

"Uh… would you want to… hang out with me tomorrow night."

Terra felt herself almost about to faint. This was the first, absolute first time in her school life she had ever been asked out on a date. She never thought she would ever have any boy like her before, so she decided.

"Sure. I… I'd love to."

They both shared a giggle, and then bid each other good night.

…

"I could barely believe it." Beast Boy said. "I had a date with Terra, and it wasn't the first time either, but little did Terra or I realize that tomorrow night, something _big_ was going to happen."

Copy-Cat looked tensed. "What was this… something?"

Beast Boy narrowed his eyes. "Something… from the past…!"


	19. A date from the past

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

The entire city couldn't seem to get the Rebel Girl song out of their minds. That song was an absolute killer-seller. Bob even took the time to let radio stations play the song, and the music stores to play the video of it. Almost no one in town could go without hearing it once in a day. Even a lot of the teens from school thought Garfield and Terra totally rocked the world. Things were certainly going to look a little better for them, but now it was still Saturday, and Garfield was just staying at home getting as his homework and chores done as much as he could

…He had a date that night!

He never had actually been on a date before, _or so he thought… _and he was a little nervous too, but at least he and Terra spoke on the phone about what to do that night. It wasn't going to be anything all that fancy. So at least they didn't have to dress up in formal clothes and all that stuff.

By six that night, Garfield, dressed in his leather jacket outfit from the video, picked up Terra from her apartment on his moped Terra was wearing the outfit he bought for her. "Hey! You ready to go?"

Terra smirked at him "Just try and stop me." She sat down behind him, and they were ready to head off. "Charging port!"

"Fifty… Ninety… One-Thirty… One-Fifty! Fire-One…!"

POW! The exhaust flames fried, and Garfield let Terra charge the starboard. Once it reached one-fifty, Terra hit the switch, "Fire-Two…!" and the engines fired. Then, "Full thrust forward!" they were off…!

The city sure was a big place for two teenagers, even if they had powers, all kinds of trouble could be lurking around every corner of the street, but luckily, they were both street-smart, and sometimes they liked to show people, "We know what it's like being alone. So you have to learn the ways of the world."

"We know you can read books… but can you _read the street?"_

A lot of people didn't know what they meant by, _"Read the Street"_ Nothing that a little song wouldn't explain as they rode through town- a song about being "Street Smart"

The first stop, suggested by Terra, was just outside of town across the water. They were parked on a small rocky hill with a perfect view of the city. They watched sun as set below the horizon, it grew dark, and the stars and moon were out.

"Whoa, When we were going out, I didn't think you meant out of town."

"Looks cool, doesn't it?" Terra said. "I once said… _sometimes you have to leave a place to really appreciate it."_

Garfield wasn't sure why, but something about this place, and Terra's words seemed familiar. He felt as though he had been here before, but he couldn't work out where, and when. Still, he wasn't going to let those crazy images in his head bother him tonight.

They kept on looking on at the glistening lights. Then suddenly, their stomachs began to rumble. "You hungry?" they both asked each other "Always…" they said at the same time. They shared a laugh and decided to head off.

They rode to Ben's Café. Pretty much the only place in town you could drop in without reservations. "You sure you want to eat here?" Terra asked. "I don't think they have vegetarian meals for you."

"Oh, don't you worry kids." said Pam, "We got something special for you today."

Unable to argue with that… they just sat themselves down near the window. "I didn't know you knew Pam, here." Terra said. "Actually, I didn't know her at first." Garfield said. "The first time I came in here, she also mistook me for that _Beast Boy_ guy. I told her I wasn't, but she kept insisting that I look much like him."

Terra knew where he was coming from. After all, she thought the exact same thing the first day Garfield came to school. Just like way Beast Boy kept insisting that she was his long lost friend… and… she lied in saying she was no longer the girl he knew.

"So… Garfield, what's the coolest place you've ever been to before?" Garfield asked trying to change the subject.

Terra thought hard. "Don't know." she said as he looked at her faded reflection in the window, "Don't know… probably Titan's Tower I guess, when I was a hero."

Garfield believed that Titan's Tower was a pretty cool place- _if he only remembered._ He knew how she felt. He spent so much of his life in the dark that he too hadn't been to that many cool places. This was partially due to the fact that no one gave him any chances, or accepted him, or anything.

"All I can say is… anything is as cool or as lame as you make it out to be." replied Terra.

Just then Pam came over and placed a special pizza on their table. It was half vegetarian for Garfield and half meaty for Terra… _No Anchovies._ "Here you go kids." said Pam. "Eat hearty." Terra and Garfield never knew Pam actually could do that, but they ate up anyways. Once they were finished, they even belched softly, Terra asked. "So, like… how come you don't eat any meat?" she asked. "You know it's good for your bones."

Now it was Garfield's turn to stare at his faded reflection. "I don't know…" he said. "I know I should be eating meat… but I just can't bring myself to do that. It's like I owe the animals my life or something."

Saying that brought on a couple of visions…

"_How can you deny the all-meat eating experience?"_

"_Dude… I've been most of those animals."_

The image faded as quickly as it came. Garfield and Terra decided to head out while the night was still young.

…

The pier's amusement park had been repaired and was now better than ever before. With new attractions, more rides, and naturally, all the usual refinements.

The Titans were there to take some time of from all their frustrations trying to find Slade. Cyborg was pigging out on all the snacks he could fit into his stomach. Candied apples, lost of popcorn, cotton-candy, "Man… this is the stuff." He chuckled Robin and Starfire were enjoying the tunnel of love, one the newest attractions. It helped add on to their growing relationship since they came back from Tokyo.

"Robin…?"

"Starfire…?"

They gazed deeply into each others eyes, and then shared a soft kiss just like they did in Tokyo. It was so romantic in the tunnel. Too romantic to even put into words.

Raven was just sitting on one of the lonely benches near the game stands. She remembered that time when Beast Boy was playing and won her the giant stuffed chicken. As lame as it was, he did win it for her and that was what he promised. _"See… I told you I'd win you something."_

She sighed to herself, and never thought she would ever be saying or thinking, but she really did miss Beast Boy, and actually wanted him to come home. Sure his jokes weren't funny, and he wasn't always the smartest team member. Still… none was ever more loyal, and kind and he always had his heart in the right place when it was needed most. This just went to show that even the comic-relief of the team can also be there when needed.

Speaking of him…

Garfield and Terra had taken their date to the theme park as well, and where they had taken the roller coaster for a real great run. They both felt like little kids. They stopped to rest on the benches for a bit. "This place is awesome." Garfield said. "I can't remember the last time I had this much fun."

Then he noticed Terra was acting a little funny. "Yeah… me too." She said as she stared off into space. "So you want to ride the bumper-cars or-"

"Terra?"

She turned to face him "Yeah, what is it?"

"Is everything okay?" Garfield asked.

"Totally…! What makes you…?"

"I mean, I'm having fun… and I really want you to have fun, but if you're not… you know… with me…"

Terra smiled. "Totally. Garfield, you've become my definition of fun." she grabbed him by the arm. "Come on… let's go."

_**(The music from BETRAYAL plays)**_

So they continued their date, and they did quite a lot.

Bumper-cars, the whirling rides, snapshots, the tunnel of horror, they even played some games. Terra didn't do so good however, until Garfield took over for her and used a little geometry to knock over all the pins with one ball. He even one Terra a huge Teddy-bear. She hugged Garfield tighter than the bear. The fireworks lit up the skies, and as they walked along, Terra slipped her arm around Garfield and rested her head on his shoulder.

_All through this, however… Garfield's mind was starting to become more and clearer to him. Just one more giant shock and maybe…_

They had done this somewhere before, and not only that but now the images were still in their heads. They were ignoring them as best as they could, but the more the date progressed, the clearer the images got.

Still, they kept on going… Garfield and Terra even had a cool idea. The theme-park was big, it wouldn't cost too much, and it would be a great place.

They agreed to talk to the school counsel, and see if the school dance could be held at the park. There would be rides, snacks… lost of things to do. They could even bring in tables and chairs for refreshments.

Still… right now, they were in the big ferries-wheel, and enjoying the view. Garfield inched over towards Terra, and she rested her head on his shoulder again. "This sure was a great night, Garfield." she said to him.

"Yeah…" he answered back softly. They stared off into the night sky. "Terra, I got to know…" Garfield asked her. "What was that made you agree to want to go out with me?"

Terra looked down at her shoes, feeling a little embarrassed. "Well, I guess it's because… of all the things I could've done tonight I realized that all I wanted to do was spend time with you."

Garfield felt touched. No one had ever said anything so kind about him before. "Lucky for me you didn't have anyone else in the picture." he flirted.

"Garfield…" Terra peeped sounded and looking down. "You know a lot about me… even the bad things, but…" she paused. "Even if I told you something was wrong with me… would you, would you still be my friend?"

Garfield seemed a little wary now, but he answered, "Of course."

Terra was almost on the verge of breaking into fear. "I mean, if you were really my friend… maybe even… more than that…" she paused again "I could tell you anything. And no matter how horrible it was, you'd still like me, right?"

Garfield held her hands in his. "Yes…" he answered honestly. "I promise, Terra. No matter what." Their eyes met, and then slowly their faces moved towards each other's… they're eyes began to close… and suddenly… their lips met.

POW! Garfield's mind went berserk. All his memories were coming back to him, FULL BLAST! They saw and remembered everything.

_Garfield, having his Sakutia disease cleared. Him becoming Beast Boy and ending up with the Titans, and even all the bad stuff that happened came back to haunt him as well._

_Terra being out on the road with her powers, meeting the Titans, being Slade's apprentice, turning herself to stone, and then becoming a school girl and telling Beast Boy, her one true love to leave her be._

"_You'll always be my friend, won't you Beast Boy?"_

"_Yes! I Terra… no matter what."_

…

"AH…!" Garfield yanked himself away form Terra. "What's wrong?" Terra asked.

Garfield was breathing very heavily as if he had just been punched in the gut, when it was really his head, and his heart that were racing. "T…Te…Terra!" he cried.

Terra suddenly began to realize what was going on. "You… you mean… you're- Are you really."

He nodded shakily, "I… I…"

"…_REMEMBER!"_

…

Beast-Boy gritted his teeth in frustration and shame. He hadn't forgotten what a shock he had that night.

"You had gotten your memory back?" Copy-Cat asked. Beast Boy nodded. "Both of us were so shocked, that we both needed some time by ourselves, so Terra took off without me, and I headed home, alone. We didn't know if this was good thing, or a bad thing."


	20. Finding ourselves

**CHAPTER NINTEEN**

Garfield remembered who he was, and everything else with it, and ever since his date with Terra on Saturday, they _both _didn't even move towards each other during the next week in school. He was too nervous and embarrassed to talk to Terra, or even go near her. Terra felt the same…

All this time, Beast-Boy, the guy she once loved… The Manimal, her hero, and crush… and Garfield Logan, that genius school-boy whom she thought had finally become her boyfriend… were all one in the same.

Even Heidi told her the truth…

_Heidi called her brother when Terra had told her about what happened on her date, Von-Richter was both afraid and relived to hear of that. All Heidi was able to tell to Terra from her brother… was Garfield was indeed Beast-Boy, but if she wanted to learn more, she'd have to talk with Garfield._

Easier said than done…! Whenever they saw each other in the hallway, they quickly just pretended not to see each other and walk the other way. Terra was never so traumatized in her life…! Not only was she never able to get Beats-Boy out of her life, but he shows up anyway…!

But she didn't want to be distant with him. What happened on their date had made something click in her head. Something she knew all along. Beast Boy… or rather Garfield was more than just her friend now.

She was in love! She couldn't fight what was in her head… and would never be able to fight what was in her heart now or rather who, and Garfield was right when he told her, _"Some things never change."_ Her feelings for him had not changed, and if they had… they were only now stronger than ever.

She was so lost and confused that she couldn't think straight and it slowed her down in class. She even got a C-Minus on a Pre-Exam test. That wasn't good…the end of the school year was just a few weeks away, and final-exams were slowly approaching. If Terra didn't pass with high marks, she wouldn't graduate and have to attend summer school, or another year of high school.

She needed Garfield and his tutoring now more than ever- but how could she…? It was Garfield whom was avoiding her, and she still unsure to confront him. Furthermore, Garfield was also very busy, despite being depressed. He had presented his idea to the school counseling about holding the prom two weeks from Friday at the amusement park, and things were already being set up. The park managers had agreed to let the school have a chance, and were more than happy to lend any help they could.

The whole school, _unaware of his alias as Beast-Boy,_ were really giving Garfield their thanks and praise for saving the school dance. Bullies no longer picked on him, some of the girls started to see him more than just a school-nerd.

Still, Garfield didn't know what to feel. His mind was really getting mixed up. He still had his amazing IQ of near two-hundred, but he was finding hard to concentrate with all his memories coming back to him. He still got good grades, but not a moment went by that he didn't stop to realize what a fool he had been, and most importantly… he didn't know if could ever find it in himself to confront with Terra again. Now, realizing how head over heals in love with Terra he really was, that made it all the more difficult.

But he really did want to see her again, go out with her again. Even… maybe… ask her to the prom, but with what was currently going on… it didn't look as if that would happen.

They were both thinking about each other that night at home as they slept sadly in their beds and both feeling the same song go through their heads "Show me the light!"

"Terra…!"

"Garfield…? Or Beast Boy?"

The next morning, Von-Richter had phoned and said the Machine was finished._ "But I tell you… you try and vork several months flat, and you vill think you vasted avay."_

The Titans were grateful that the machine was fixed. "At least that's out of the way now." said Cyborg. "But were no where near out of the woods yet."

He was right too…Even now that the machine was ready, there was still the little matter of getting Beast Boy's DNA back from Slade and his followers, which they still were not having much luck on.

Even if they could get it back, there was still the biggest and most difficult task of persuading Beast Boy to come back to the team, and maybe Terra too. Only they had absolute no idea how to show him how much they wanted him back, or that they missed him.

From another call from Von-Richter a week ago… they did learn that Beast-Boy's amnesia had worn off, and maybe it would be easier to talk to him now. "Well, we have to do something." Robin said. "If Slade's going to strike soon, then we're going to need all the help we can get."

The Titans called Von-Richter and asked for directions to his sister's apartment where she lived with Terra, and Garfield. Sadly, Terra wasn't really up to joining back with the Titans… _not yet._ So she just made her excuses and almost gave them the exact same treatment she gave Beats-Boy.

"Things change, Titans. The girl you want me to be is just a memory."

The Titans refused to acknowledge this, but left her alone for the while. "I believe that did not go at all well." said Starfire.

"Tell me something I don't know." Raven said, but then she quickly took it back… _you know they way Starfire would react._

"Somethin' big is on that girl's mind." said Cyborg.

Robin nodded. "She's probably still too emotionally fragile." he said.

"Or she really just doesn't want to rejoin the team." added Raven.

They decided to go and try talk to Beast Boy; maybe by now he'd be ready to come back to the team. Terra, however, and fully aware of their plans to confront Beast-Boy, she had a bad feeling that the Titans weren't going to make things good. So she followed them silently all the way to Garfield's apartment.

They tried talking to him, but Garfield just sat at his table with his back turned to them all. "My mind's made up." he said with a stern tone. "I'm never going back with you guys, and that's that!"

That was cold, but the Titans had expected he'd be that way. It turned out all his memories had returned… _including why he left the Titans in the first place!_

"Yo' man… Look! We're sorry, all right...?" Cyborg said. "But look if we don't get your DNA back, Slade's going to crush the whole city."

Garfield sipped his soy-milk. "Dude… that's _your_ problem. Not mine." he snapped. "I'm through with being a hero. All it does is get you nothing but trouble, but you guys already know that… the way you always treated me."

Starfire approached him "Beast Boy…" this resulted in Garfield pounding the table hard with his fist making the others wince. "For crying out loud! Will you STOP CALLING ME THAT!" he roared. He calmed down a bit. "Look… sorry I yelled, but you guys got to get a grip already. Maybe I remember who I_ was,_ and everything with it, but that's all behind me now."

Robin tried to talk to him, "But Beast Boy…"

"Dude…! I just told you, I'm… NOT… Beast Boy and I don't want to be him anymore. My name's Garfield." He got up pointing at things "This is _Garfield's_ apartment… That's _Garfield's_ neighborhood… _Garfield's_ vegetarian breakfast-"

Raven held up her hand. "I think… we get… the message."

"Whatever." replied Garfield. "This is _Garfield's_ life; and it's not the good I hoped for, but at least now I'm accepting my destiny." He slumped back down into his seat and sighed. "I've lived my life as an outcast… and I'll die as an outcast."

"Yo' man… quit beatin' yourself like this." Cyborg says. "We don't think you're outcast."

Starfire nodded. "Friend… you have done so many things for us all."

Garfield turned. "Oh, yeah…? Name one thing I'm good at that doesn't involve being a hero, but just for being me."

The Titans were all silent with empty answers. "I thought so…." he replied, but he gave them a sour lecture on all the many times they gave him the look, wouldn't laugh at his jokes, even if they were funny, even all the times Raven bonked him in the head just for him making suggestions, and he topped it all off when they returned form their months of fighting the Brotherhood of Evil, and they all thought he was crazy for seeing Terra, and being mean to him for things that weren't all his fault.

Garfield glared furiously at Robin. "Look, pal…!" he snarled "You and the others have done nothing but bust my chops, talk down to me, and treat me like a little kid ever since I met you! Well as far as I care… you guys don't need me, and I don't need you either." He turned back to his breakfast. "Now, all of you get out! I don't ever want to see you again!"

The Titans, all feeling crushed like grapes, decided to leave, but Starfire stayed for a few more moments. "Please, Friend… do not take this wrong…" she said as she placed a small wrapped gift on the table. "If ever you feel the need to… please use this gift." then she was gone, crying softly.

Garfield folded his hands onto his forehead. Deep down, he really felt bad for what he just did. He slammed face down onto the table, surrendering to his all-consuming despair. The morning sunlight was shining everywhere but his heart.

…

In the hallway, Terra, who was hiding around the corner saw the bummed Titans leave. "Maybe it's time we just let him go?" Cyborg said. "Hire a new recruit...?"

"Please…" Starfire sobbed, trying to hold back her tears. "I do not wish to find anyone to take Beast Boy's place." Robin and Raven agreed. No one in the world would ever replace Beast Boy. No one could, and no one ever would.

Terra waited until the Titans were out of sight before she headed to Garfield's apartment. She needed to talk to him… now, and get to the bottom with what was going one with him and the Titans.

Garfield was just getting ready to head for school when he heard a knock at the door. He gritted his teeth. "Some dudes just never learn." he mumbled. He swiftly opened the door. "I thought I told you-" he stopped. "Oh… Terra…?" He blushed of embarrassment, but Terra had a feeling he'd mistake her for the Titans. "Garfield… you mind if I walk to school with you?"

Garfield's insides began to go crazy, just the way they used to. "Uh… well… I uh? Sure."

As they walked to school they hardly found the courage to talk to one another, until Terra asked if Garfield could tell her what really happened. Garfield decided she needed to know.

He started with his skautia disease which lead to his green mutation. His families dying, how he was alone and criticized and left miserable, and all that stuff. Then it came to meeting the Titans, and her and all they had gone through all the way up to _Things Change._

He was so overly outraged with how miserable his life was getting that he just quit the team and visited Nobel Von-Richter whose machine changed him from a mutant to a regular human in a desperate attempt to abandon his hero life and start over like she tried to do.

"So, you never really had amnesia?" Terra asked. "We're you just pretending… like me?"

Garfield stopped walking and took a moment to think it over. It wasn't all clear to him either, but he was told by Von-Richter over the phone what had happened since he didn't remember it too well.

"No…" he said. "I really did have it. It was an accident."

He had been told that that while he was knocked out by the anesthetic, the Titans burst into the lab and tried to shut the machine down before it finished its task. Instead, the machine overloaded sending powerful jolts of radiation and electricity at him. That was what caused his amnesia, and also his high IQ, music playing skills, and his magical singing voice which allowed him to sound like virtually anyone whenever he sang.

As for his Manimal powers…

Before the machine had overloaded it hadn't quite sucked all of the animal DNA out of his body. When the machine overloaded and shocked him it began to fuse the little bits and pieces of DNA that were left into his changed DNA. This was what gave him all that strength, speed, senses, and flexibility. "I still have them... but I just don't use them anymore. There, you got it now. I'll be you think I'm nothing but a big wimp."

But Terra did think anything like that at all. "To be honest, you're way more braver than I am." she said. "Ever since I woke up from being stone… I just felt so afraid and alone." She went on saying how bad she felt for all the bad things she had done in the past.

She figured that it would be best to live a normal life and forget about the person she was. She thought it would bring happiness when all it did was make her more and more unhappy, and worse, it made Garfield unhappy too. "Not a day went by that I haven't regretted what I did." she peeped softly and hung her head low. "Now, that Final exams are coming, I don't really know what I'm going to do." she said. "I feel so nervous and upset that I don't think I can make it."

Garfield smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe, I can help you." he said. "I still have my high IQ. I can help you study. Just like when I tutored you."

Terra looked at him. "You will…?"

Garfield nodded a she took her hand, "Come on…" and they ran into the school together and for the next few days, Garfield tutored Terra better than ever, and they spent long hours studying. At times when they had breaks, they would go off and do some quiet activity together, and find themselves becoming more and more attreacted to each other.

…

"So… what was it that you did with Terra?" Copy-Cat asked.

"Just as I promised..." Beast Boy answered. "So I helped her work the nerve to take the exams and it meant that we got to spend a little more time together, and things began to look up for us again."

…

Thursday afternoon… and the test results were in. Garfield aced all his exams perfectly, and Terra, she may not have gotten perfect scores on her exams, but she got the very high marks she needed, and now qualified to graduate.

"You did it, Terra. Way to go."

Terra suddenly hugged him. "You said I could do it… and you were right."

Garfield hugged her back. "But Terra… I only helped you a bit. You were the one who did most of the work." he said. "You really earned the grades."

It didn't matter to Terra, she was happy that she passed her exams, and more than that, she finally had all she needed to graduate, so did Garfield. Imagine that, only one year of school and he was ready to leave.

"Hey, Garfield…" Terra asked. "Not that it's my business, but… what do you plan to do once you graduate?"

Garfield never really thought of it before. It wasn't like he had any plans, or anywhere to go. He still had his job doing Mysterious Theater, but that job was starting to get dull, and he was really starting to think of quitting. He needed something more. He wasn't planning to go back to the Titans, and he wasn't sure he'd ever become the Manimal again. "Maybe I'll just live it n the edge, and see what waits for me beyond the world. Other than that… I don't rightly know what I want to do."

Well… he secretly kept it in that one thing he really wanted to do, above everything else in the world… he wanted to be with Terra, but he wasn't sure if he should tell her. So he decided to change the subject. "What about you?"

"Me?" she asked.

Garfield nodded. "Yeah… don't you have any plans?"

Terra looked down at the pavement. She still had her powers, but she didn't know what to do either. She wasn't sure she was ever willing to resume a hero's life or just see where the wind took her either.

Garfield did however think of something that they both would be able to do. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two prom tickets and waved them in front of her face. "Want to give it a shot?"

Terra's mind was going at a-hundred miles an hour as she took one of the tickets. She was really hoping he'd ask her out. She wasted no time in answering. "Only on one condition…" she said. "You have to wear a tux."

Garfield smiled, and would agree if she would wear the prettiest dress she could find and he'd help her pay for it if he had to. They shared a soft hug sealing the deal, and then they both went home to start getting ready. The prom was tomorrow night…!


	21. Prom Night

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

Slade and his gang were finally ready to launch the next step of their master plan… _to capture Terra!_

"Uh… are you sure we're not going a tad bit overboard here?" Mammoth asked. "Remember what happened the last time Slade got close to that girl, she nearly sent him to the pits."

Gizmo rolled his eyes and sighed "Look! We have huffed, and puffed… and now we're going to tear that city down." he said.

Slade chose a pretty good time to strike what-with the Titans still without Beast Boy, and the Manimal no where in sight

"Heh, heh, heh… locked onto the girl." Gizmo chuckled. He was ready to slam the capture switch, "Ready or not, here we-" but Slade suddenly stopped him. "No, Gizmo… not yet." he hissed. Gizmo was most confused. "But… I thought you said-"

"No." Slade growled. "Now's not the time." He told them he planned to capture Terra the next night at the prom. This way all the kids would be far too busy occupying themselves, and there would be plenty of space to escape. "Sleep tight while you can child… you're time is of the essence."

…

The next night…

Garfield couldn't stop staring at himself in the mirror. He never looked so slick and cool before in the white tuxedo he had on, and to think he had gotten a great deal for it and didn't have to spend so much money. This meant he was able to rent a limousine, but he'd rather it went to pick up Terra so she'd have a ride to the prom. Somehow, he didn't think it would be right to ride his moped in a brand new suit.

He was, however, feeling a bit nervous, this was going to be his very first prom date ever, and the only positive thing about it was the fact that he was going with Terra. Still, he really hoped nothing would go wrong tonight because he was planning to ask her to come away with him. Since he never planned to return to the Titans, and he didn't really have other plans, one thing he did know, that with Terra things could turn better from the worse.

He took one last look at himself in the mirror, and everything seemed ready. His tux was all clean; he even had a cane and top hat to go with it, and even got Terra a small corsage. With all that settled, he was ready to head off and meet here at the park where the prom was. However, he stopped a moment and stared down at the little present Starfire had left… which he had been ignoring completely. He had however been having the rough urges it open it and see what was in it, but then he just kept reminding himself of all the bad times the Titans had made for him, so he let it be.

Right now, he had no time to worry about that. "Well… ready or not… here I come." He said as he grabbed his cane and fitted his hat on.

The whole theme park looked wonderful..!

There were lots of balloons all clung together to form large arches. There were tables spread out along half of the huge space for the couples to just sit at and relax. There were even other long tables off to the sides, with foods, cakes, and snacks, and like all proms… there was some punch, only, and would you believe there were some students behind the tables to guard the food and make sure no one tried to spike it.

Garfield waited near the front gates, softly talking to himself. "My, my, Terra… only thirty more seconds." he said playfully. "Oh, how could you stand me up like this?"

He kept on counting down the remaining seconds in his head, and indeed when he reached zero, a white limo had pulled up to the entrance, the same one that he had rented for Terra, and out she came. "I hope I'm not late." Terra asked.

Garfield couldn't help but gaze heavenly at her- She was wearing a silky, shiny, cerise-pink gown. It had long sleeves, and a sparkly tulle pink scarf was wrapped around her shoulders and curling around one of her arms. Half of her long yellow hair was piled up hair in a pretty design, and the rest hung lose, and curly in front. She even had a white lily in her hair too. She wore a pair of white pearl earrings, and to complete the picture, she had applied a soft bit a shadow to her eyes, peach lipstick, and even sprayed herself with vanilla scented perfume.

He smiled at her and kissed her hand sweetly. "Nope. You're dead on time."

Terra blushed and giggled as Garfield pinned the corsage to her gown. Then, "Shall we…?" he asked offering his arm, and they walked into the park to start a night that they would _never forget…!_

Slow songs played and soft twinkling lights floated gently about, as the couples began to dance, as well as Terra and Garfield. "You know… in all my memories of seeing you, I never thought I would ever see you like this." Garfield said.

"Like what?" Terra asked. "Cool… amazing… or maybe-"

Garfield shook his head. "So beautiful..." he whispered into her ear. Terra's cheeks blushed madly, and turned to look away from him. "I… I always wondered what it would be like to be… beautiful." she said. "But I was always on my own, and I really couldn't make that happen."

She went on saying that she never went to any fancy school events. She always had this fear that she could never make herself look nice enough, and she just stayed at home and caught up on her reading. "I've never gone to any dance or prom in all my school girl days. I didn't know what people would think of me. Would they think I look beautiful, or just plan okay?"

She suddenly felt silly. "Listen to me, rating on like this."

Garfield shook his head, and he reminded of the time he called her "Pretty girl" at school, and he showed her her reflection in the punch, "Pretty girl." He quoted. Terra blushed, and smiled shyly as another slow-song began to play,

She smiled and rested her head on his cheats as they began to dance to the romantic song; about what they looked like and what they wore didn't make them beautiful or handsome, but rather what they said or did that made them wonderful.

They ended their dance with Terra curtseying, and Garfield tenderly kissing her hand, and the crowd applauded.

Later on…

Terra and Garfield were taking a rest break and decided to get a swig of punch. As Garfield tenderly poured the cups, he began to playfully flirt with here again. "Who are you really, and what were you before? What did you do, and what did you think?"

Terra giggled. "We said no questions." They clinked their cups "Here's looking at you, kid." Garfield said, and as they sipped he couldn't help notice that everything was going perfectly that night, and he even asked Terra earlier again if she liked spending time with him…and she answered with the same line again, "You're my definition of fun."

Garfield couldn't help it any longer. "Uh… Terra?" he asked sounding a little shy. "There's something I want to ask you something."

Terra blushed softly. "Yes… what is it?"

Garfield rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Well… remember when you asked me… what I wanted to do when I finished school?" he paused and then stared deeply into her eyes "I think I figured out what it is."

Terra's eyes began to sparkle like the stars. "Yeah… go on."

They held hands, and still gazed into each other's eyes. "Well… what I want to-" Garfield paused. "What I'm trying to say is…"

"Yes… yes…" Terra peeped.

But before he could finish, the ground softly began to rumble. Everyone paused and looked around in confusion as the rumbling got stronger… the lights were flickering in the stress, and the punch in the bowl and cups was wobbling.

"What's happening?" cried Terra.

Garfield's super-hearing kicked in, and he identified the rumbling, "Oh, no! Not again…!" he cried loudly. There was another stampede of green-animals heading straight for the park. Everyone began to run away in panic just as rhinos and elephants and dinosaurs began to crash through the place!

Gizmo, and Mammoth were riding on two of the animals, and in the midst of the stampede, Garfield and Terra saw _him! "Slade…!" _they both cried.

"Hello, Terra…" Slade hissed, "I see you still remember me."

Garfield clenched his fists, "What do you want here, Slade?" he asked angrily.

Slade sniggered softly, "That's just like you, Beast-Boy…" he hissed, "Yes… I've known all along whom you are, and what you've been up to, but I don't really want anything from you. It's your little girlfriend I'm after."

Garfield stood in front of her, "No! I won't let you take her from me again!"

"Come on kid… there's no way out of this." Mammoth grunted. Terra and Garfield began backing away, but there wasn't a place to run. Gizmo hopped down from the elephant he was riding on and began stepping towards them. "You don't want any of this. Now get out of the way." she hissed. He hands began glowing madly.

Garfield could feel his anger boiling, and just because he didn't want to be a hero anymore didn't mean he couldn't still fight to protect Terra. So he let out a cry of battle and gave Gizmo a swift kick in the face. He fell flat on his back. "Big, mistake…!" he growled.

He was about to get up and fight back, when the Titans arrived! "Yo' man, what's going on here?" asked Cyborg.

"Guys… look out!" cried Garfield, but not only had the two crooks begun to fight with their animals, Slade unleashed some of his robot-minions to keep the Titans occupied.

"TITANS… SPREAD OUT!" cried Robin, and the battle was on.

Robin whipped out his metal rod. "Welcome to my nightmare." He growled and her began to make short work of the robots.

While Cyborg was dealing with Gizmo, "Why can't you just be a good little boy, and give up already?" he mocked "Hah! You first, Tin-man...!" Gizmo snarled. They began to do battle along one of the roller coaster tracks.

Raven and Starfire were busy dealing with Mammoth, and some of the animals. Raven used her powers to send the tables flying towards some of the animals in hopes of scaring them off into the direction, or energy walls to keep them at bay.

This meant she couldn't help Starfire, and to Mammoth, her star-bolts only tickled. "My turn!" he growled, and POW… he socked her hard, sending her right into the desert tables.

Robin dashed over to try and help her, but he was confronted by Slade's robots. He couldn't handle them all by himself too well.

Garfield just stayed near Terra and protected her from any robots that came for her. Terra thought that was really brave of him, and she wished she could help, but she wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to use her powers yet…! So far the battle seemed to tipping in the Titans favor, as the animals had all gone back into their capsules from whence they were released, and the crooks were starting to look tired, and now stood together with the Titans and Garfield circling around them.

But strangely, they were smiling wickedly. "Man you Titans are as dumb as you look." Gizmo chuckled. The Titans didn't understand, but suddenly they heard Terra scream. They all turned round and saw Slade with his arm wrapped round her neck.

"Terra! No!" cried Garfield. "Let her go…!" he growled as he began to dash for her. "Stay where you are, Boy." Slade hissed while aiming his ray-gun at Garfield. "The girl is now mine, and I have all that I require. So I'll take my leave."

Robin growled. "What could you possible want with her anyways?"

Slade sneered at Robin. "You'll know soon enough, until then." Garfield could only watch in horror as Slade made off with Terra until they had vanished into the night only leaving behind the corsage that he gave to her. He clenched it tight in his fists, and collapsed to his knees pounding the ground "TERRA…!"

…

Once back at Slade's lair, Terra was dressed in another one of Slade's evil suits and placed and wired inside a glass tube. "What are you doing? Let me out of here!" she demanded.

Slade just stood there with his arms folded. "You're in no place to make threats, child." he hissed. "Now that I have you in my grasp, I can use you to bring my plan into action."

Terra's eyes blazed with anger. "No! I won't let you use me again!" but suddenly she was being shocked by some of the wires. "Silly girl… it's not as if you were given a choice." replied Slade. "Those wires will not only render you weak, but they will amplify your geo-kinetic powers and grant me access to do as I wish with them."

Terra, already weak, but not out of it yet, struggled to gaze at Slade's evil mask. "You won't get away with this." she said wearily. "Somebody will come to save me."

"Who…? Garfield Logan…? Alias; Beast Boy…?" Slade mocked at her. "Even he has no clue where we are, and if he does, it would be unwise for him to come here. Most unwise…!"


	22. Final confrontation

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

Garfield was still on his knees unable to get a grip on himself. Slade got away, with Terra. "It's all my fault." he muttered weakly. "I should've watched out for her."

The Titans were trying to work out where had taken Terra, but Cyborg's wrist-computer got damaged in the fight, and Raven wasn't able sense Terra's energy anywhere. Wherever Slade was hiding it had to be really secretive. Starfire, however, felt bad for Garfield.

"Poor Beast Boy." said Starfire. "He looks more sorry than the pink and blue worp-worp, that has lost is' favorite muglart."__

_**(Yes… I'm making up these Tameranian words.)**_

Garfield then angry got to his feet and said, "I'm going to go find Terra."

"How are you going to do that?" Robin asked. Garfield stared his angry eyes straight at his face. "The traditional way; _look!" _and then he stomped off. The Titans all exchanged looks of concern, and then despite her dumb question, Raven floated up to him fast. "Beast Boy, don't be silly. You can't do this by yourself."

Garfield stopped dead in his tracks with his head throbbing in anger. He turned to face her. "Look… first of all: I told you to stop calling me Beast Boy." he said to her. "And who else do I have to turn to? You tell me that, Raven."

Raven kept as calm as she could. "You can turn to us." she said. "We can help you. We want to help you."

"Help…?" Garfield snapped. "Oh, you want to help me? Well, why should I let you guys help me anyway? I've helped you guys plenty of times in the past, and what did I get from it? Zip! Zilch! Hardly even a pat on the back, or a _"Hey great job kid."_ No, I didn't get any respect from any of you. Not even from my jokes even if they weren't funny."

Raven was speechless. He had never before spoken to her this seriously and angrily. "We just want to help you."

Garfield sighed heavily to himself and rather than telling her to just bug-off, "I… I'll think about it." was all he said, and he left.

Garfield ran home and quickly began to pull out his books and his tools, and his Manimal outfit which was still damaged. He decided it was the best and only way to find Terra, and stop Slade. He didn't know where Slade's hideout was, but he still had his high IQ, and the corsage that had some of Terra's normal fragrance on it.

He cracked his knuckles, and opened up his books, and began tinkering with his suit to repair and alter it "I don't care what it takes. I'll find that ship somehow, and I'll get her out of there!"

All week… he didn't go to school. He had no need to since he practically already graduated and had nothing more to gain by attending school. He worked hard making all kinds of alternations and repairs to his suit, and he even began mixing up some formulas in school to help him on his upcoming quest, and all through it, he always had Terra on his mind. He just prayed she was okay.

…_Which she wasn't, since Slade continuously shocked her, and kept her prisoner._

…

Finally, after a whole week of hard work…

With some tinkering he repaired his costume, and made it stronger than ever. He also whipped up a device to help track Terra. The fragrance on the corsage left an unusual scent of Terra, one that only Garfield recognized among any other odor, and built a small device to locate the source of it from any distance and through any interference.

He also knew that he would be facing off against Slade, Gizmo, Mammoth, and possibly an entire barrage of green animals. Luckily during that week, Von-Richter helped him a little with that. The two of them had managed to create a super-secret weapon that would recapture all the animals, and maybe even Slade and his goons as well, but it had to be used exactly at the precise moment… and it was only good for one shot.

Finally, one late night he decided it was time to go for it. So he changed into costume and was about ready to leave, when he suddenly gazed at Stafire's gift again. He thought that since this would be a real dangerous setting for him, and he might not make it out alive, he decided to open it. He gently untied the ribbon, and slowly opened up the box. There… sitting on a soft piece of felt was a _Teen Titans Communicator._ The very one he gave up when he quit the team. He argued with himself and decided to take it along. _"Who knows… maybe I'll need al the help I can get after all."_

With all that, he hopped out and up onto the roof of the building, and switched on his tracking-device. He would have to home in on the signal to find Slade's hideout. He planned to search the city all night if he had to. _"Hang on, Terra… I'll find you."_

Then he was off.

Meanwhile…

The military forces were all scrambling. They're computers and satellites had detected thousands of objects hurdling down from the skies. They couldn't understand them. Sensors showed the object rising from the Earth, and then heading back down again at incredible speeds, enough to cause serious damage and injuries, even deaths.

The forces sent up as many intercepting jets, and missiles, and used all the defenses they could to shoot the objects, which were reveled to be actual boulders and rocks, but not from outer-space, but it was no good. Those rocks just kept right one coming, and suddenly it was discovered that the rocks were just ordinary bits of Earth…!

Something was yanking little fragments of rock from the surface, throwing them high up and slamming them back down like meteors. The forces were just baffled, and couldn't understand it…!

…

It was Terra was doing this…! But not by will…

Slade's control over her powers was proving most effective. By doing this, he could create his very meteor swarms anywhere in the world within hopes of keeping all the military and soviet unions distracted. This would leave all cities in the world vulnerable to his other plan…

Sending every last one of the green animals in swarms to demolish the cities and force every human on Earth to surrender to Slade's newly planned for empire.

Slade couldn't help but pity "Those poor undermined fools." He then gazed at the tube, where Terra was held inside. She looked very weak, and was just hanging there with her arms stretched out and her head dropped down "With your help child… the cities of the world will soon be under my control, and all the people shall obey my every word as my empire reigns over all."

Terra was so weak she could barley talk. "Mon…ster…!" she peeped. "Mur…derer…!"

Mammoth punched the tube, "Hey, you watch your mouth!" he snarled at her. Slade called him off, "Let it be!" he hissed, "Her words mean nothing, and she is one to speak when it is her own powers that are the cause of this treachery."

Terra knew he was right. It was her powers causing all this trouble. If only there was some way for her to escape…!

…

The Green-Animals had been terrorizing cities all night, including Jump-City. The Titans were absolutely powerless. It was only four against an army of at least forty different animals. Slade's duplications of the animals made it twice as worse. There was no way they could stop them all.

When they regrouped, they decided that they were going about this all wrong. "We have to hit them at the source." Robin suggested, "…Slade!"

"Yeah- just one problem: Where the heck to we find him?" Cyborg complained.

Then suddenly Raven caught a glimpse of something overhead. She didn't believe it at first, but it was, the Manimal leaping across the rooftops and swinging by the buildings on his lines. Raven urged the team to try and follow him, for maybe he would lead them to Slade- If only he hadn't moved so fast that she lost sight of him and didn't know which way he went.

"Spread out!" Robin said, "If you find him, call in."

…

Manimal continued on his quest, it had to be getting around 3 am by now. He had been dashing for hours on hours, but his determination kept him going. Suddenly, near the wharf at the edge of town, his tracker was going loud and strong, and it was coming strongest from a large abandoned boathouse. _"I've got you now, Slade."_ He sneered under his helmet, but before he dashed into action he decided to be safe and let the Titans locate this place as well.

Reaching into his belt, he pulled out the titan-communicator, set on the roof he was on and activated the emergency beacon.

…

At once, all the titans, on opposite ends of the city pulled out their beeping communicators and located the source of the signal. They all immediately agreed to head straight for it.

…

Manimal knew it would take the others a while, so he had to go for it solo, but he would have to stay sharp… his sense of smell was warning him that he wasn't alone out here. He decided to flush the baddies out with a little stink-bomb… or rather… _skunk-bomb._

He threw three little balls out and below and straight at the stacked crates and barrels. The disgusting odor was so putrid that Gizmo and Mammoth leapt out form their hiding. Both of them were covering their noses angrily.

"Man, what a stink!" cried Gizmo.

"It wasn't me." Mammoth said.

Manimal leapt off the roof and landed before them, and he wasn't bothered by the smell at all. _"That was my bad…" _he joked. _"Now where's Terra?"_

The crooks sniggered at each other. "You want her so bad, you got to go through us first." said Mammoth.

"And our friends…" added Gizmo as he motioned for Slade's robots to emerge. Manimal was greatly outnumbered, but at least the crooks had no animals left, since all of them were out wreaking havoc on the world. So the fight began.

Using his flexibility, and mighty strength, he made short work of some of the robots, but more of them just kept coming. Slade always kept a good arsenal. Manimal realized her couldn't keep this up forever, and he had to bust into the boathouse to find Terra.

Mammoth suddenly grabbed him by the neck and pinned him against a wall. "Haw-haw! Let's see your strength save ya now, kid!"

Gizmo arrived, and stood right beside his teammate and prepared his spider-legs to fire their lasers. "See ya… don't wanna be ya." he mocked.

Manimal, however, already saw his escape._ "You two may be strong physically… but you're not using your brain-power"_ He swiftly raised his legs and… WHACK! _"OO-OO-OOH…!"_

…Right in their prides!

This made this really steamed. So steamed, that they summoned more robots, and were ready to charge him again, only to have the Titans drop down. "You okay…?" Robin asked with a smile.

Manimal lifted his helmet visor and smiled back for the first time, "Dude… most excellent timing."

Robin nodded at him, "Titans, Go!" and the fight began to even out. The Titans agreed to take care of things out there, "You go get Terra… we'll cover ya." Cyborg said.

"_Right!"_ and Manimal dashed through the crowd of enemies over to the boathouse, using his thick helmet, and horns to smash through the wall. It was pretty dark inside the boathouse, even for the fact that it was still dark out. He used his night vision, and sonar to find his way around.

The boathouse sure seemed small on the outside, but Manimal felt like he was running through a maze, but Terra's scent was getting stronger than ever, and so was someone else's…!

Finally, there he was. Slade checked the time, "Only six hours, and thirty-seven minutes to find me and get here...? And I thought you were a genius."

Manimal clenched his fists, _"Don't play games with me, Slade!" _he snarled, _"Now, where's Terra?"_

Slade was hoping he'd ask that. He gestured to his side and the tube was cast into the light. Garfield took off his helmet, "Terra…!" he cried under his breath. Terra gazed up with all threat was left of her strength, "Gar… field!" she peeped. He began to dash towards her, but Slade pressed a remote control in his hand…

Terra felt herself being shocked as her powers were forced into action, and WHAM, a huge boulder slammed right at Garfield. "ARGH…!" he was thrown hard off his feet. He got up again and dashed for the tube only to have more rocks bash at him… over… and over…!

"Face it, my friend…" Slade hissed. "I have complete control over the girl's powers. Just imagine it… the girl you thought who cared about you is destroying you with every ounce of strength she has."

Garfield, with his eyes blazing, angrily got up again. "That's… NOT… TRUE!" he shouted. He continued to try and get to Slade only to get hurt by more boulders but he didn't seem to want to stay down. Finally, he had an idea…

He dashed towards Slade again, and then, just as Slade pressed the remote, Garfield dashed the other way and shot his explosive quills at the lights in the ceiling. This rendered the house completely dark again, but not dark if you had night-vision in her battle helmet, which he replaced.

Slade then expected Garfield to come at him, but instead he heard a loud crash and glass shattering. Slade could tell that he had just freed Terra from her tube-prison. "No!"

Garfield laid Terra aside so she could recover, and then he proceeded to attack Slade. They had a mighty wicked brawl. Slade got out his ray-gun in attempts to kill the boy for good and a struggle began… a race to grab the gun, and shoot the other out!

In their haste, they began to punch holes in the walls of the boat house which let the light in. In the end, Slade had gotten the gun and poised it straight at Garfield. Terra was finally beginning to gain her strength back, but couldn't use her powers until she was fully healed. She was what was happening, "No…!" she cried.

The other Titans burst in too, "Beast-Boy…!" cried Robin, but Slade urged them all to stay where they were. Despite the fact that Terra was no free, it changed nothing. All the animals were on the loose, and Slade now had all six of his enemies at his mercy.

Garfield realized there was only one way out of this now. While Slade wasn't watching, he reached behind him, into his belt and pulled out that flask than Von-Richter had made with him. _"Please work…!"_ he thought hard, and he set the flask down on the floor behind him and pulled off the stopped.

WOW…!

Shockwaves and bright lights flashed, startling everyone. The waves seemed to scatter in all directions, out of the house, and around the world. Then… nothing! "What was that?" Slade demanded to know.

"Nothing…" Garfield admitted. "It was nothing."

Slade didn't buy that one little bit, and decided, "Very well then… you shall be the first one to go." He poised his gun and armed it ready to fire. "Farewell…!"

Terra panicked and leapt over to Garfield screaming. "No! You can't…!"

POW! The gun fired a ray of energy straight for Garfield's face, but suddenly… it stopped! Right there… just floating a few millimeters before his skin. Soft winds started to pick up, and the ray-blast began to swirl, and then seep into the flask.

The wind began to get stronger! Robin, Raven, and Garfield's capes began to flutter. So did Starfire's long hair… Terra's too.

Slade's gun suddenly acted just like his blast did. It was fading, right out of his hand, into the blowing winds, and into the flask. The winds were getting stronger, and stronger. Suddenly, small green animals began to fly through the windows, and holes in the boathouse. The heroes screamed and dashed away. Garfield and Terra leapt away from the flask just as the large animals began to smash through the walls, carried on the winds.

From every corner the green animals were being picked up and blow, forming into a massive spinning tornado. Slade was absolutely petrified for the very first time in his life as he gazed up at the tornado watching all the animals, hearing the screech, roar, and the elephants trumpeting in fright as the spun round and around, harder, and faster.

Then…! Slade himself was being picked up by the winds. He grabbed onto a wooden post for dear life… but it didn't hold. "THIS… CANNOT… BE-!" and he was sucked in to the top of the tornado.

The heroes didn't get sucked in, but the Titans all huddled together, and Terra held onto the Garfield tightly. All six of them could only stand petrified as the tornado continued to spin, and Slade's screams were heard amongst the animal noises.

Once every last green animal had been sucked into the winds, the tornado's tail stretched over to the open tip of the flask, and began to suck everything inside it, but the winds were still deathly strong! So strong that boat house was beginning to breakup and fall to pieces…!

The heroes bravely stood together, and Garfield stayed with Terra, as the tornado began to get smaller and smaller as the animals were all sucked into the flask, and reverted back to their liquid-state. It kept, going, and going, and going…!

Finally, a loud scream was heard, and Slade refused to let himself be sucked it, but he couldn't fight the winds. Finally he went in, and the stopper fitted itself onto the flask. POW! A giant bright flash and all was quiet…!

…

The boathouse was completely broken down into a pile of debris, but everyone seemed okay. Raven protected the Titans and herself with a barrier, and Garfield crawled out form under the rubble, and was okay. He walked over to the undamaged flask which was filled with all his green-DNA again, and a miniaturized Slade was trapped in the crystal stopper.

He had done it! It was over now. Robin patted him good on the back, "Alright, Beast-Boy!"

Cyborg high-fived him, "Yo', man…! Killer moves."

Starfire hugged him, softly, "You have truly saved us all!"

Raven smiled and only had one thing to say, "Whatever…" and she hugged him warmly.

When asked about the tornado, Garfield did his best to explain that the shockwaves inside the flask that he unleashed were high-tuned to the green animals, and Slade's cellular structures. So it would take them, and only then into the winds and trap them inside. That was thought to be impossible, but it couldn't have been denied of what they had all just experienced.

Suddenly, they all heard a faint moan coming from a pile of rubble. "Terra!" cried Garfield as he dashed over and moved the rubble away. Terra opened her eyes, gazed up and him and smiled warmly. She was going to be okay.

Robin and Starfire held hands, and smiled. Garfield and Terra were acting like how they did during that magical moment in Tokyo. That's when a brightly golden glow began to shine. Everyone gazed off to the East and saw the first light of the morning sun rising at dawn.

Garfield and Terra then gazed at each other, and Garfield had a lot to say to her. He had been doing a lot of thinking…

All the events that happened to him, Terra, and everyone else in the city these past months proved conclusively that they really couldn't live normal lives. No matter where they would run too, somebody would always find them. If they didn't protect the city… who would?

Terra knew that now too. She could never forget her past. It was what made her what she was today. She was a hero… she was meant to be saving the world… not studying in school, and taking tests and being things that she wasn't.

Garfield was still feeling very unsure of what was going to happen. "If only… if only these events hadn't happened… and the future was clear… then maybe… maybe we could…"

"Beast-Boy…?"

He turned and gazed into her eyes. "Terra…?"

Terra smiled lovingly at him, and whispered, "Don't say another word."

They're faces moved closer, and closer, and their lips made contact. There were no interruptions. There was nothing to break up the moment, and no awkwardness. Their first real kiss and it really meant something special.

The Titans just stood where they were smiling with high approval of what they just witnessed, and Cyborg, he had said it once before, and he was going to say it again…

"…Well… it's about time."

_**Author's notes:**_

_**In case you were wondering about the tornado…**_

_**Yes, I admit it.. it's exactly portrayed as that scene from Jumanji when everything gets sucked back into the board.**_

_**Don't get me wrong now… if you can think of a faster, better, and more epic way to recapture all those animals, and foil Slade all at once, I'm all ears. No offence.**_


	23. A new beginning

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

Gizmo and Mammoth were taken back to prison, and this time they wouldn't be breaking out. Slade was removed from the flask, returned to his normal size, and the heroes made sure he was placed in the strongest security prison ever. Robin never felt so pleased to finally see Slade behind bars!

The city wasn't too badly damaged, nothing a few weeks of work wouldn't do.

With the DNA retrieved, and the machine fully repaired, Garfield would able to change back into Beast Boy really soon, and he and Terra had already moved back to Titans tower. Terra hated to say goodbye to Heidi, she had meant so much to her, but Heidi knew she was doing the right thing.

It was time for Terra to grow up and make her own decisions. "The city and the Titans need you dear. It's where you belong." Heidi was also moving on. She was moving to Mexico where the weather was warmer and she could live in peace without being exposed to too much danger in Jump-City.

With all this settled, Garfield and Terra had only one last thing to do…

It was graduation day for many students of Murakami High. The ceremonies were held out in the field. All the senior students who were graduating that year were all gathered together, and accepted their diplomas, awards, and honor-rolls. Jackie and Jillian of course were not present. Not only were they still suspended, for that long, but it turned out that they had done nothing but got low marks, bad test scores, and cheated at everything. They'd have to repeat High-School for another two years at least! Starting with summer-school!

Terra had also received hr diploma, and she couldn't had been happier. At least she was leaving school with honor.

Finally, before the festivities could begin, the principal had a very special award, for a very special student. "This award is going to the finest student this school has ever seen in all its many years." he said proudly. "…A student with outstanding grades, superb intellect, and the kindest of manners ever to be seen. It gives me pride, and joy to present this award, to the student of the century; _Garfield Logan!"_

The crowd went wild, and so did the Titans, who were invited as guests as Garfield proudly accepted his _"Student of the Century" _plaque from Terra who was standing there. He pecked her on the cheek, and shook the Principal's hand before taking the podium for a few words. He cleared his throat. "This award really means a lot to me." he said. "But even though I should feel proud that I earned this, and I should feel proud that I am the new student of the century… I cannot fully accept all the credit for this."

The crowd exchanged looks of confusion.

Garfield went on…

"I may have struggled through many hardships, including those in my otherwise, unbearable past and childhood, but I owe a lot to someone very special here…" He turned around to gaze at Terra. "I knew Terra long before I came to this school… as Beast Boy!"

This made the crowd really gasp in shock, the fact that all this time they had inducted a superhero as a student. This was truly a great honor. "When I first saw Terra, I could tell she was the lost Titan I had been searching for, but when she refused to come back to the Titans… and me… I decided to take my leave and forget about my hero's life."

"When I came here, we began to pick up a little… it was shaky, but eventually, I found myself unable to stop being concerned, and I looked after her even when I was the Manimal, and I couldn't remember her. But what I'm getting at is…" he paused. "I may have earned this award, but I give most of my credit to you Terra. My inspiration, my life-line. My… everything."

Terra blushed and smiled brightly as the crowd leapt up from their seats cheering madly, and all the students took of their graduation caps and threw them up in the air along with Garfield and Terra's. The Titan even cheered wildly too. The caps began to rain down from whence they were thrown.

Terra grabbed Garfield by the arm and she kissed him hard, wooing the crowds even more.

…

After a whole day of festivities and celebration…

The Titans were all gathered up in Von-Richter's lab again, and the machine was already powered up, and ready to go. It had also been upgraded so it didn't require Garfield to be knocked out by drugs, or even having to wear just underpants.

"Ready vhen you are, my boy." he called to Garfield.

He was already dressed in his old Doom Patrol outfit, but taking a minute to look at his body one last time to sort of say goodbye. "So long, Garfield." he said to his reflection. "You'll always be a-part of me."

Then it was time, as he got into the chair, and had the needles hooked into his arms, and the chair lifted over into the cage-sphere. The opening sealed.

"All right… stand back everyvone." Von-Richter said, and he started up the machine, and the cage started spinning around the chair, and that music began to play again.

_**(JOE 90 intro theme)**_

The green DNA was being injected along the line, and into his arms, and his skin and hair began turning green. It didn't hurt him much, but it was a little scary… for the others to watch. The machine kept going, and by the time the music had come to an end, the machine stopped, and Beast Boy was back to normal; Green skin and hair. Pointy-ears, fangs...

Unfortunately, while he did retain his memories of all that happened to him, he had lost his Manimal abilities, and his IQ had returned to it's original status before he became a genius. They weren't lost forever, though. He would only gain those qualities back if he transformed again.

Yet… his magic-singing voice and his musical-skills stayed. They were part of him in either forum. Beast-Boy couldn't stop gazing at himself.

"Beast Boy, you okay?" Robin asked.

Beast-Boy smiled, "I'm more than okay." He smirked, "I'm me again."

Everyone smiled at him, and Terra pecked his cheek.

…

The Titans decided to head out for Pizza to celebrate having Terra and Beast Boy back with them, but on their way…

"_HELP… PLEASE, HELP US!"_ Beast Boy recognized those voices; it was those kids who loved to dress up and pretend to be Titans. "Go for it, Beast Boy." Robin said smiled. Beast Boy nodded, and then changed into a pterodactyl and flew away towards the danger zone…

There, he could see the kids down below, still in their costumes. They were playing near a vacant-lot, but some wreckage fell over trapping them in, and a leaking drum of gasoline was leaking towards a burning cable-wire. If they didn't get out of there soon… they'd all blow sky high.

"HELP… SOMEONE PLEASE HELP US!" one of the boys screamed. The two girls were screaming and crying in fright, but then the other boy looked up. "Hey look… what's that?" he asked as he pointed up to the green pterodactyl carrying a air-balloon basket in its talons. The kids' faces lit up for joy. "Wow! It's Beast Boy!"

He touched down, and changed into his regular shape. "Don't worry; I'm here to help you. Hop in, Titans." He changed back again. The kids all hopped into the basket Beast Boy flew them to safety, only moments before the lot went up in flames.

He flew them over to the park where he knew they could make it home safely. "Gee… thanks a lot Beast Boy."

Beast Boy winked at them. "You take care of yourselves. Later!" and he flew off.

…

That night… Beast Boy was standing up on the roof of the tower, and watching the sun go down. He had quit his job at the studio, which was okay since his contract expired anyway, but Bob always promised he'd have a place open for him there, and he was still adjusting to the fact that he was home where he belonged again, and he didn't really feel very sleepy either, but soon someone came out to join him.

"Hey… you okay?" Terra asked as she walked up to him.

Beast Boy smiled at his new girlfriend…

_His girlfriend…! He just couldn't help but feel giddy the way that sounded._

"I'm just taking the time to convince myself if this is all really happening." he said. "Like… first I met you… things were looking cool… then I lost you… you came back… I lost you again… over, and over..."

Terra knew how he felt, during her life as a Titan, she did feel many loads of regret having had to turn against Beast Boy, and turning into stone. Things change was the worst, and she felt she deserved harsh punishment for what she did to Beast-Boy and herself. "But hey… I owe you a lot." she said. "I mean, sure I was little mean to you… but now look at where we are because of it. If it wasn't for you, I don't know where I'd rightly be right now."

Beast Boy smiled at her, as the sun disappeared and the stars began to come out. They both looked up as a shooting star sped by. "I don't know where I would be either if it weren't for you helping me out, either." he said. "But all I know is… of all the places, in all the world I want to be, and of all the things I can and may do in my life…" he paused and gazed deeply into her eyes, "All I want… is to spend them with you."

Terra blushed, and her heart was beating wildly. "I feel the same towards you." she said. "I can't think of anything else that can top what we have." The embraced each other softly, and shared a passionate kiss under the stars, and a few minutes later… well…

Let's just say they were in Terra's room, and enjoying their first ever time of making out…!

…

While far, far away out on an island at sea, where a maximum security prison was. The alarms were going off and search lights searched the whole area. Slade was missing from his cell, and no one saw him steal a rowboat and paddle his way out to sea.

"_We'll meet again someday, Teen Titans."_ he thought sinisterly. _"And when we do… things will not be quite as easy."_

He rowed off into the night, and was gone!

…

In Beast-Boy's room he couldn't stop smiling. "Terra and I were together, and that was the way we planned to stay." Beast Boy said. "No more unsecured feelings… no More Slade… and bets of all… no more "Things Change"

He went on explaining how He and Terra became closer than Robin and Starfire, and their relationship only grew stronger as the days turned to weeks, and months. Then one year later, they met Copy-Cat, and helped him defeat Blackfire from taking over planet Psyconia. It was there on Copy-Cat's planet that he popped the question to Terra. "The rest… is pretty much history."

Copy-Cat smiled warm and proudly. He knew that Beast-Boy was telling him the entire truth, through the use of his foresight, "Of all of the stories I have ever heard of in all the years of my existence and knowledge; this was the most wondrous tale I have ever heard of."

Beast Boy smiled, and then he let out a huge yawn. Copy-Cat checked the clock-radio, and it was almost One in the morning. The morning of the day Beats-Boy had been dreaming about for a long time… His Wedding Day!

"Hmm! I can't believe it…" he sighed happily. "I'm actually going to marry Terra.

Copy-Cat nodded, "Yes… this is the day where you and Terra shall be joined." he said. "But I suggest we adjourn to bed and rest while the darkness is still among us. There will be much to do in the morning that will require our strength." Beast Boy nodded as he got into the lower bunk of his bed, and Copy-Cat got up to head back to his room.

"Night, Copy-Cat."

"Sleep well, my friend."

After Copy-Cat had shut the door, Beast Boy gazed out the window and saw another shooting star in the sky. As he lay down in bed, he couldn't help but think about all that happened to him over the years, and how nothing was ever so easy for him as he sang a soft song "It's not easy bein' green" but he ultimately decided it was what he wanted to be.

He lay down gently, and fell asleep as the song ended.

_**Author's notes:**_

_**Normally this is way against my penal-code, but… for my fellow BBxTerra fans. I'm going to make you all a special offer.**_

_**As you know… I cannot post any hentai unless censored properly. So here is what I will do. I will write a chapter of BB and Terra making out (UNCENSORED) and… if you wish to see it… PM me… and I will send it to you so that you may view it privately.**_

_**But I cannot post it up here.**_


	24. Epilouge: Finally Just Married

**EPILOUGE**

Later that morning… it was time!

All the Titans and honorary Titans, The Titans East, even the Doom Patrol and Jinx were there. Heidi had flown all the way form Mexico and von-Richter had come too to witness Beast Boy and Terra's marriage. There were even some old friends from school.

This was a very honorable wedding which everyone had been looking forward too. Not only were Beast Boy and Terra a pair of Titans like Robin and Starfire… _where they we're waiting anxiously for it to happen…_ They were also the second two Teen Titans to marry since Robin and Starfire.

Beast Boy didn't bother to buy a new tuxedo, and did what Terra asked for. He was wearing his Manimal costume, which he had saved, and he wasn't wearing his helmet, and was wearing his normal gloves so the grappling hooks wouldn't hurt Terra when he held her.

As for Terra- she looked absolutely gorgeous in her wedding gown. It was long-sleeved with a wide opening for the head, and exposed her collar area. The dress was full which clung to her, accentuating her narrow waist, and the train wasn't very long behind her. Her veil was held in place by a silver-diamond tiara she had borrowed from Starfire.

Her hair was done up in a large ponytail that flapped up out of the veil and dropped outside it from behind, and her long front hair threads were curled beautifully out in front. The something-old she had was a beautiful string of white-pearls around her neck; a present from Heidi. Her dress was her something-new… and lastly… her beautiful sky-eyes were her something-blue. "I'm ready…!" she peeped softly as she gazed at her reflection from full-length three-view mirrors.

The ceremony was held on the roof… after a little adjustments and re-decorating for the occasion. Beast boy and Terra were already holding hands, gazing into each other's eyes, as Robin, as team leader, performed the ceremony. Beast Boy and Terra said their vows, gave their rings to each other, and when they were pronounced man and wife, the crowd went wild, and some of the other titans used their power to make wild displays, like fireworks, or rainbows… all that stuff. Beast Boy, scooped Terra up in his arms, and carried her down the aisle, past all the cheering fans, straight onto to a large boulder that was brought up by Terra's powers.

The newlyweds stood on the boulder and waved goodbye to the crowd, because they had big plans for a honeymoon vacation. "I promised him… if he was nice to me I'd give him that grand tour of the world." Terra joked. The titans all shared a laugh.

Starfire sniffled, and wiped her eyes with a tissue. "Oh. My friends… I could never be so happy for you both."

Cyborg smirked. "Yeah, BB… looks like you're finally becoming a real man." he said. "Here, have a guy noogie on me." And he began rubbing Beast Boy's head.

"He-he-hey!" Beast Boy laughed.

Robin wished them good luck. "Come back soon." He said. "The team's not the same without you two around."

"Yeah… really not the same." Raven teased.

"Really?" Beast Boy said. "I don't know, Raven. Maybe you'll be eating those words when you and Copy-Cat get hitched."

Copy-Cat and Raven's heads snapped up, and their eyes bulged. Then they turned away from each other, both blushing and twiddling their fingers. This made the Titans laugh again, and Beast Boy whispered to his bride another little idea he had, and slipped a pebble into her bouquet. "You two fly high now." Cyborg said. "And don't get getting so messy that you can't clean yourselves… if you catch my drift."

The newlyweds nodded, and then bid their goodbye's to everyone as Terra used her powers to lift the boulder up into the sky, but before flying away Terra waved her bouquet around for all the girls to see, "You-hoo!"

They all began to raise their arms up as Terra tossed her bouquet down. The girls went wild. "It's mine!"

"Hands off!"

"Let go!

Then Terra sneakily used another bit of her power to move the pebble Beast Boy had slipped in, and made the flowers soar over into Raven's arms. Raven just gazed at the flowers in her arms and then looked nervously at Copy-Cat, who still seemed a little embarrassed.

Terra and Beast Boy laughed as the rock carried them off into the world with a banner on the side reading… _**"JUST MARRIED"**_

_**THE END**_

_**Author's notes:**_

_**Without the songs being visible, this fic is useless!**_


End file.
